Star Crossed Lovers
by Meitantei Mystery
Summary: Conan fights against fate as he tries to stop Ran from giving up on Shinichi and leaving Japan forever. FILE 7 UP! It's too late to stop it...but it can still be changed. ShinichiXRan, AiXConan (one-sided) R&R!
1. File 1: The News

Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan/Case Closed or any of its characters. That's the department of Gosho Aoyama.

Author's Notes: Hello everyone, this is my first DC fanfiction and my first serious fanfiction. I used to write humor fics on this site under a different name but that was a long time ago, you still may see a few pointless comedy fics come out of me. This is Shinichi/Ran. Also keep in mind that even though I know the Japanese names, I haven't seen much of the series except for the dubbed Adult Swim version. If anyone has a site with manga scans, that would help fill in the holes in the series for me, especially ones centered on Ai, Heiji, or Kaitou Kid, because I don't know a lot about these characters except what I've read from fanfiction. Alright, I won't bore you anymore.

Chapter Summary: Everything is going great in the Mouri household until Ran reveals a secret to Conan, sending him through a whirlwind of emotion. Is Ran really going to leave Shinichi behind…forever?

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Star-Crossed Lovers

A Detective Conan Fanfiction

File 1: The News

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"Alright…of course…thank you so much, sir," Mouri Ran said, smiling happily into the phone. She stretched back into the couch, twirling the phone cord around her wrist. Crouching behind the couch and listening to the conversation was a young boy of about eight years wearing too-large glasses and a silly bow-tie. The boy's eye twitched.

_"She's spent more time on the phone with this 'sir' than she does with me,"_ thought the boy, Edogawa Conan, holding his hand in a strange position on his chin. The position had been his trademark in another life, resembling a checkmark. Now he had to be careful no one saw him doing it, so as not to arouse suspicion. _'What does Ran think she's doing? This can't be a new boyfriend or she wouldn't be so formal with him…but she seems awfully nervous too. I hope something hasn't happened to upset her…maybe I should call her tonight as Shinichi."_

In truth, the young Conan was in fact Ran's childhood friend and high-school detective, Kudo Shinichi. Shinichi had been shrunk to a child's body when he overheard a blackmail deal between a firearms manufacturer and the two men who gave him his current condition…the men from the mysterious crime syndicate, the Black Organisation. Gin and Vodka.

Thinking back on that day, Conan almost shook with rage. That day…it had been almost perfect. Taking Ran to Tropical Land, solving a murder mystery at the same time…he even thought about telling Ran how he really felt about her. But he had to investigate the mysterious men in black. He _had _to. And because of that, he was stuck, ten years behind where he should be, watching the woman he loved talk to others, instead of him. It was their fault…the Black Organisation. Someday…someday he had to find them, stop them, cure himself. And then, he would go to Ran. He would confess his feelings from the heart, pour out the repressed emotions he had held inside Conan for so long. It would be like a scene from a movie: the lovers reunited after so much time apart. Once he was cured, he could get his life back…he could get Ran back.

Conan was shook out of his thoughts as he realized Ran was talking again.

"Yes, a few days…I'm looking forward to it. Goodbye," Ran hung up the phone. "I don't believe it!" Conan watched Ran jump up and do a short dance. The boy sighed and left his hiding place, making it appear as if he had just entered from the kitchen.

"Ran-nee-chan, why are you dancing in the middle of the living room?" he asked with childlike innocence. Ran, startled, jumped back and spun around.

"Ah! Oh, it's only you, Conan-kun. You scared me," said Ran, walking over and kneeling down to look the small boy in the face. "Don't sneak up on me anymore, okay?"

"Sorry Ran-nee-chan, but you didn't see me, you were dancing!" Conan replied petulantly. "I didn't sneak anywhere!"

"I guess you're right, Conan-kun. I'm sorry. I was just happy…I got some great news just now," she said, smiling at the boy she now thought of as a little brother.

"Was it Shinichi-nii-san? Did he say he solved his case and he's coming back?" said Conan, playing the part. The "extremely super difficult puzzling mystery" that Shinichi was away working on was a ploy to hide his identity as Conan. He knew that if Ran knew that the young boy she cared for was Shinichi, she would be in danger from the operatives of the Black Organisation.

He had thought about telling her. God, he had _tried_ to tell her. He really did. But, every time he readied himself to break it to her, something always happened. Something interrupted, or she left, or he lost his nerve and ended up saying something stupid. Always.

Once these times had passed and the boy had started thinking clearly again, he always told himself it was for the best. He couldn't bear to see Ran hurt because of the men in black. He knew that if she knew, if the information of his identity leaked to any more people, the Organisation could pick up his trail and it would be over for him and anyone he ever knew. He had to protect her, just a little longer. It was hard, but he'd have to hold his feelings back until there was a permanent solution to his problem.

"Conan-kun? Are you okay?" Ran's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, sorry Ran-nee-chan. I was just thinking…how hard Shinichi-nii-san must be working on his case to come back home," said Conan, blushing in embarrassment.

Ran frowned.

"…Yeah…of course he is working hard. But no, that wasn't him on the phone," she said softly.

_"Of course it wasn't," _Conan thought to himself with a note of irony. He noticed Ran's sudden drop in mood. _"But…I'll call later for you Ran." _"Now why are you sad, Ran-nee-chan?" he said the last part aloud. Ran looked him in the eye.

"I completely forgot that I didn't think about Shinichi through this. I wanted him to call so that I could tell him about this. But he hasn't…not in a long time, and I guess…I've just about given up on him…and it's time I move on," she said, wiping away a tear. Conan almost fell over.

_"What?! No, Ran, please! Say that really wasn't someone else! I really am trying to come back to you!" _he thought desperately. "W-what do you mean, Ran? Shinichi will come back. Did you find another boy instead of Shinichi?" he said, summoning a child's faith to cover his cracking heart.

Ran smiled at him. "No, Conan-kun, of course not. It's not that at all. I was waiting for him." Conan breathed a silent sight of relief.

Too soon.

"Conan-kun, I wasn't going to tell you this…for a day or two…I'm sorry to hide it from you. But just recently, I…I won a scholarship to study abroad in England. And…I'm leaving in a couple days," Ran explained. Conan blinked.

"England's a country in Europe, right? Good for you, Ran-nee-chan! What are you going to study there?" said Conan.

"Well…" Ran said, holding a finger up to her lips, "I won the scholarship through my mother's reputation as an attorney…I suppose they'll be expecting me to study law. I never thought about it before.

_"Wow, law? That's great! I'm so proud, Ran. I knew you could do something like this! You'll go far," _he thought, smiling at her. "That's okay Ran. You'll come back every chance you get and we can still have lots of fun, right?" he said. _"If Ran goes abroad for a while, then it'll give me more freedom to hunt down the Black Organisation. This might work out…yeah! I can do it; by the time she comes to visit, I'll be myself again!"_

Conan looked back up, after diverging off inside his own thoughts for the third time that day. He looked into Ran's eyes, looking at her hands shaking slightly, her lips pursing. She sighed, obviously thinking of what to say.

"Um, Conan…how can I tell you this, but…when I was accepted to the school, they felt I was too old to live with a host family…so I bought a flat near the school I'll be studying at. To pay for…the apartment, I got…an internship through the program as well. And…the catch is…oh God, Conan, I…I'm sorry, but…I'm going to be _living_ in England. I, I won't be coming back to Japan."

Conan's cracked heart shattered into pieces. _"N-never…never?!"_ His mouth was dry, moving, but nothing would come out but emptiness. The emptiness he felt filling his soul, permeating his body. _"She's leaving forever?!"_

Ran looked at Conan's shocked face. The boy was obviously shaken. _"Oh no, I really upset him," _she thought. She had known from the initial application that leaving Conan would be difficult for the both of them. She sat up awake at nights wondering how she would break the news to the boy. She thought of him as a brother and didn't want to see him sad, but there really wasn't anything she could do to make this any easier on him. She opened her mouth to try and comfort Conan, but the kid spoke first.__

"B-but…Ran-nee-chan, why? You can't visit…on airplanes?" Conan forced the words out. Even now, he had to keep up the charade. Ran smiled weakly.

"No, Conan. Papa already said he can't afford to shuttle me back here every other weekend just to visit…it's too much. Besides, it's time I become more independent. Dad's okay with it…he wasn't happy for a while but he said yes, for my education."

"Ran-nee-chan, you can't! Who's going to take care of me?" the boy shouted, his emotions become more marked.

"Oh silly, my dad's gonna keep taking care of you until your parents come back!" she said, forcing brightness into her voice. "It'll become a boy's pad, you can have fun!"

_"Fun?!" _Conan thought, terror piercing through the veil of sadness that surrounded him. _"With Kogoro?!"_ An image popped into his mind: a starving, shriveled-up Conan, glasses broken, forced to live on a diet of Kogoro's crumpled beer cans because the inept man refused to cook…He shook his head to clear away the awful picture. "Ran…no, please…you can't leave…"

"Conan, it's already been settled. I just got off the phone with the airport; my plane will leave on Friday!" Ran said back. Conan's eyes widened.

_"Friday…three days?!" _"I can't believe you're just gonna run away from your friends, and your dad, and from Shinichi! How can you do this, Ran? It's so heartless!" he snapped, his eyes beginning to sting.

"Stop it, Conan, you're being childish. It's just…older people see the world different than someone as young as you might. I know that I'll be leaving a lot of my old life behind, but in the long run I'll benefit from it! It's like…leaving the past behind to make a better future. I just want to be able to have a stable family, away from all these murders and mysteries that Dad and Shinichi would bring around," Ran explained.

"No! No no no!" Conan said, stomping his foot. "I don't want you to leave, I don't, I don't, I don't! You don't really care!" Ran opened her mouth to speak, but Conan didn't listen. He had started talking, expressing his feelings as a child. He found himself growing angrier and angrier without reason. And soon he wasn't really thinking about what he said. "You're not my Ran-nee-chan anymore! You're just…a…a…a mean stupid girl! And I hate you!" His younger emotions winning out, Conan ran towards the door, crying faintly. Kogoro, entering the house, was nearly tripped by the boy. He shouted in surprise, almost falling over, as Conan slammed the door with as much force as his body could muster.

"What is that stupid kid doing?" he shouted in anger. Ran exhaled slowly, looking back and forth from her fuming father, to the place where Conan had sat, to the door. She frowned.

_"Oh Conan…"_

* * *

Okay, so that's the end of the first chapter. I tried to keep them in character, but I have problems writing Ran. Conan's a little easier but I'm still uncomfortable with them both in general. Speaking of which, I'm looking for someone who's interesting in doing some beta-reading for me, as most people who have done so for me in the past know nothing about DC. You can mail me if you're interested, but in the mean time, please review! I need some feedback so I can make Chapter Two good!


	2. File 2: The Truth that Prevails Still Hu...

Disclaimer: I told you already in Chapter One, I don't own DC! Why weren't you paying attention?

Author's Notes: Um…okay I can explain. waves off angry people with pitchforks My Internet connection was disabled for about a month and the only way I could get online was at the library…which for some reason had blocked. So with many apologies due to its lateness…Chapter Two is here; and this one took me a long time to get the guts to write. I revised it about three times, and I still don't feel comfortable with Haibara's personality. Also I ran into problems writing child personalities, so the Detective Boys gave me a tough time here. I tried though, really. Anyway, it's the first reviewer time!

Reily Yuy: Don't cry, it's gonna be okay! Have a Conan-plushy. And as to what will happen…I'll keep you in suspense. I'm so evil!

Enula: "Tons of potential"? Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence. I'll try and live up to your expectations.

Oel: Evil, am I? Really? But…cliffhangers are a great tool for making you come back and read more! You want to read more right?

Gavroche Rules: Glad you liked Conan's vivid premonition of life under Kogoro…don't worry though, if that does happen, he will be sent to jail for child abuse and neglect sooner or later…

starsTruck272: Thanks for catching that error. Between watching the English dub and keeping the Japanese names straight, I'm not surprised I did that without thinking. Don't worry, I plan to use the canon titles as much as possible.

Hitokira: Guess the update wasn't soon enough…but you asked nicely at least.

DcLoVer0x: Glad you liked it! But I'm not playing favorites with anyone…you'll just have to wait and find out like everyone else.

LostArtofRock: Free time…where does it go? College threw me a doozy for a while, but I really plan to finish this story as well as publish a few others. I just need to find times when my anime-hating roommate is gone . Bastard. Anyway, I'd really like to thank you for your kind words in your review. As of now I have a few different ideas of the direction this story is going to take. 

Well, thanks again to everyone who reviewed! Here we go!

Chapter Summary: Reality has hit Conan hard, and the Detective Boys have no idea what he is feeling. Can the simple kindness of a child's mind help him out? Also, Haibara has entered the picture with plans of her own for Conan…

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Star-Crossed Lovers

A Detective Conan Fanfiction

File 2: The Truth that Prevails Still Hurts

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Truly, it was an amazing thing. He could invent mechanical wonders with his own two hands, solve mysteries in chemistry and biology he claimed were previously unfathomed, but Agasa still had no power to comfort the boy sobbing at his table.

"Agasa-hakase…" the boy gasped while breathing in between his wails of sorrow. "What did I do wrong? How is it that…that she…she's!"

"Shinichi, please think this over. I know you're hurting right now and I'm glad you don't consider yourself too old to cry over this. It's a big blow," Agasa said soothingly. "But the fact of the matter is, whether you appear to be or not, you _are_ old enough to understand what is happening. Ran has every right to make her own decisions about her life, no matter how she feels about you. If this is the path she wants to take, then you must-"

"Just watch and let her leave?!" Conan lifted his face from his arms, glaring at the professor. "Is that it? Just sit back and watch this girl, no, this woman who I love disappear forever?"

"The truth is that you have no right to control her, Shinichi!" Agasa replied, raising his voice slightly. "Is that what you think of as love? Dictating her every move?"

Conan turned around to look at him. "Will you just shut up? You haven't heard a word I've said!" he shouted, his face flushing. Agasa drew back, startled. Conan, having found an outlet to release his frustration, pounced on the old man without a second thought. "If I controlled Ran then she wouldn't be the person I know her as! I don't want that! But that's what _you_ see it as, you hermit! She may have the right to leave Japan, so why can't I have the right to disagree with it? You're making me the bad guy here, acting as if Ran didn't care about me! Well I have news for you old man! She does! I know it!" The professor tired to explain, but the young boy's ranting continued. "Hey, I understand now…you don't know what I'm feeling! You've probably forgotten what it's like to be in love with a woman, haven't you! Well, I'll try to make you a metaphor. Okay, so what if all your little toys," here Conan angrily waved a hand some of Agasa's inventions scattered around the room, "just get up and move into some hotshot European scientist's laboratory forever! You can't replace them, because you can't get over the loss of your originals! Huh? Tell me how that makes you feel, baka-hakase!" Conan was breathing heavily, his intense anger slowly fading, leaving behind the intense sorrow and depression that had filled him ever since Ran calmly told him of her departure. Agasa frowned.

"Shinichi, I was only trying to help you work this out, and understand things before you do something you may regret; however, I now see you feel perfectly capable of losing Ran on your own," he said, hurt. The professor left the room.

"Hey…hey, c'mon Agasa…I'm sorry, okay? It's just…I want to stay with her so bad…it hurts so much…" the boy said. "I didn't mean to insult you." No answer. "Damn. I really did it now. First Ran, then the professor…I really need to stop losing control." Without any warning he hit the table as hard as his arm would allow. "Why the hell does this have to happen now?"

"Problems, Kudo?" piped a small voice from the doorway. Conan turned slowly in his chair to see Haibara Ai standing, her hand on the door. Miyano Shiho, the creator and second victim of the apotoxin.

"Go away, _Haibara_," Conan stressed his words. "I'm not in the mood."

"For what, Kudo? Has reality not sunk in yet? She will leave and there is nothing you can do about it," the girl said with shocking simplicity. Conan was silent for a moment.

"You know, I should have expected that kind of attitude from you. How can you even come here and talk to me about it? You have no clue how it feels to be unable to reach someone you love…hell, I don't even know if you loved anyone."

_'If only you knew, "Conan-kun"...' _Ai thought mischievously. _'What you just said describes my feelings beyond your understanding…for such a brilliant detective you really are dense sometimes…'_ "I loved my sister, Kudo. That's enough," she said aloud.

"Yeah…of course," Conan said, turning away from the girl again. "And that means you grasp my situation perfectly."

"Well I never did say I was an expert on the niceties of a romantic relationship, but don't completely regard me as blind in the matter," the girl said. "I can see that you don't want anyone to talk about this…sensitive subject, and I guess I wouldn't blame you. Oh yes…Agasa just let your little group of friends in…I suggest you fake a smile before you get them on your back as well."

"You're acting awfully good-natured," Conan muttered. "I don't really care…it'll be the same as always. Ayumi will flirt with me, making Genta and Mitsuhiko angry, then they'll drag me off on some stupid mystery case and I end up wasting the time I could be trying to think of ways to keep Ran here. No thanks…if they have a problem with me sulking they can just go home." He buried his face in his small arms and did not say another word.

_'Heh…he's extremely distraught. Not that it's a surprise; he's head-over-heels for that Mouri girl. But it's no matter. She's made up her mind and once she's gone…I'll be there to help him recover. I can finally let out these repressed emotions of mine…it's funny in a way…Conan…'_ Ai mused, turning away and exiting the room. Conan had a brief instant of peaceful silence before the door crashed open.

"Oy, Conan!" Genta cried, barging into the room. "Why are you sitting inside? It's a nice day out and it's getting late. Know what that means? The Detective Boys have a mission to seek out those criminals of the dark and bring them to justice! Get up, Conan, so we can go!"

"You guys go without me," Conan sniffed, not getting up or even turning around. "I don't feel like mysteries anymore." Genta drew back in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Mitsuhiko queried, entering the room along with Ayumi. "We thought we heard-" Genta grabbed the two smaller children and pulled them towards the corner of the room. Ayumi squeaked in protest, but Genta silenced her and began whispered urgently.

"Guys, something is wrong with Conan!" he whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Mitsuhiko said. "What did he say?"

"He said he didn't like mysteries anymore and that he didn't want to play with us!" Genta replied. Mitsuhiko and Ayumi could only stare at him as he finished his sentence. Mitsuhiko spoke first.

"There has to be a logical explanation for this. Conan wouldn't just do this out of nowhere…" he said.

"Hmm…you're right," Genta mused. "Wait, I know! Maybe he's sick! That's why he wouldn't want to play, right?" 

"Baka!" Mitsuhiko said. "Does he look sick to you? He is not coughing, or lying in bed with a thermometer or anything like that! How could he be sick?"

"He's sniffling…" Genta said. "Maybe he has a cold, huh? You're the baka!"

"He's sniffling because he's crying…" Ayumi said. Both of the boys shut their mouths, looking sheepish. A moment passed before Genta decided to try again.

"Well…if he's crying then he's sad! That's what wrong!"

"Obviously," Mitsuhiko said, rolling his eyes. "But why would Conan be sad all of a sudden? Today at school he seemed fine, and it's not like him to be depressed. This is very strange. As detectives, we have to figure out what's wrong with him! Now what would make Conan cry?"

"…Maybe he got a bad grade on a test and he's gonna get in trouble? That happens to me…" Genta murmured.

"No way, Conan is great in school, it couldn't be that. C'mon, Genta, think!" the other boy hissed.

"This is silly," Ayumi spoke up suddenly. Genta and Mitsuhiko blinked, then looked at the girl.

"It's not silly, we're trying to help him!" Mitsuhiko hissed, pointing at the silent boy at the table. Ayumi pushed past them.

"Yeah, sitting around talking isn't helping him anyway! I have an idea, why don't we just try asking him what's wrong, huh?" the girl said, glaring at them. Both kids glanced at the other.

"Uh…that's a great idea! I was just about to say that, right? Okay, Ayumi, let's…Ayumi?" The young girl had already left them and moved behind Conan. Her target remained buried facedown in his arms, unmoving. Ayumi smiled.

"Conan-kun…" she said softly. She took a step forward and slowly wrapped her arms around the child. Conan stiffened in surprise. "It's okay…we're your friends, and we're here for you, no matter what you are going through right now…"

_'This…compassion, from a kid? I knew Ayumi has a crush on me, but this…'_ Conan thought. He slowly relaxed in her friendly embrace. Genta and Mitsuhiko remained speechless.

"We want you to be better again, Conan-kun…" Ayumi said matter-of-factly. "We're worried. Please tell us what's wrong, okay?"

"…Ran-nee-chan," Conan spoke after a moment, his voice cracking, "Ran-nee-chan…she is going to move to Europe forever…"

"So why are ya sad?" Genta spoke up, walking over to the table. "Now you don't have to listen to her anymore! You can stay up as late as you want, play whenever and you don't have to worry about-"

"Genta! Please, that isn't important to me!" Conan said, turning. "I…" His mind raced for the words. "Since…my parents left me here…Ran-nee-chan…was almost like my mom. I…I don't want her to leave."

"Oh…" Genta said, crestfallen. "I guess…since you say it that way, I would feel bad too if my mommy was going to leave. Sorry, Conan."

"So then what we gotta do is find a way to stop her from leaving, right?" Mitsuhiko remarked. "Could we get Agasa-hakase to…mess up her plane schedule so she can't leave?"

"That's too complicated," Genta said. "We should ask him to invent a special machine that blocks Conan's Ran-nee-chan from leaving the house! Like the trap Masked Yaiba fell into in last night's episode!" Genta said proudly.

"And Masked Yaiba escaped it, too," Ayumi concluded. "Why don't you just talk to her, Conan-kun?"

"I tried that, but…her mind is made up. I don't know what to do…"

"Aw, c'mon Conan. It'll work out somehow, right? I promise; no, I swear on my honor as a Detective Boy that we will not rest until we help you keep your Ran-nee-chan!" Genta said proudly.

"You guys…thanks…" Conan said, standing up. _'Maybe I shouldn't have yelled at the Professor after all. Talking about it really did help. I was so blinded by my sorrow that I didn't even listen to logic and reason…and that's not me. I gotta calm down and think this over. Genta's right; I'll find some way to make this work out.'_

"Feeling better?" Ayumi asked. Conan nodded.

"Hey…know what? I think maybe it would be good if we went out and played a bit, okay? The sun will go down soon, so let's go, right?" he said.

"That's our Conan!" Mitsuhiko shouted. The kids ran out, shouting happily, Conan taking his time in the rear. They charged out of Agasa's house.

An old man and a little girl looked out the window at the children.

"It seems Shinichi has finally calmed down, eh Haibara?" Agasa smiled.

"Kudo has his work cut out for him if he plans on convincing Mouri to stay. I guess some recreation wouldn't hurt him," she replied.

"You know…" Agasa said slyly. "It looks like they are going to play hide-and-seek. Maybe you should join them?"

"…You're serious?"

"Of course."

"…If it's not necessary to keep my cover, I think I'll pass. Crazy old man…"

* * *

And there you have the end of File 2. I've got a good deal of File 3 fleshed out on paper, just need to get off my lazy ass and actually put it onto the computer. Hopefully I will do it by the end of the month, if not you have my utmost assurances that I will post it ASAP. So, please leave me constructive criticism! I'm still looking for a beta-reader too; it would help me work faster to have someone spotting the errors in my work so I don't have to! And until next time, ja ne!


	3. File 3: Starlight Truce

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or situations presented in Detective Conan.

Author's Notes: Wow. I promised this chapter at the end of October…and it's almost the end of November. Don't ya just love college? Anyway, here is Chapter 3. I don't think it's as good as the first two, considering it's written on a rather fanfic-cliché situation and the whole thing is half-assed angst. Sadly it hasn't been revised prior to submission by my new beta, Ember Mage. I wanted to get it up ASAP after the long delay, so sorry if the quality is subpar. I'll work harder on the next part.

Thanks to all those who reviewed. A lot of you are the same people as last time so I don't want to type out a list. You know who you are and you have my deepest gratitude.

Star-Crossed Lovers

A Detective Conan Fanfiction

File 3: Starlight Truce

It was a calm, peaceful night outside the Mouri residence. The crescent moon, surrounded by a myriad of stars, cast soft shadows with its gentle light. Yet, inside the small house, the situation was almost the opposite. All the splendor of nature could do nothing to sooth the raging tide of emotions in the heart of Mouri Ran. The young woman lay in her bed, staring dejectedly outside her window at the deserted street.

_'It's past midnight, and Conan still hasn't come back,' _she thought, her fist tightening over the comforter. _'I can't believe he just ran off like that…but then again, I wasn't too gentle with him about England. Why isn't he back? Oh god…he could've run into a bad part of town, or gotten hurt somewhere, or…' _She came to a decision. Standing up, she walked quickly over to her closet, pulling on jeans and slipping a windbreaker over her nightshirt. _'I made him run away, and I'll bring him back.'_ The girl walked out of her room and into the living room. She passed Kogoro, who was watching television, or more specifically, drinking beer while the television happened to be on.

"Ran…where are you goin?" Kogoro said. It was obvious he wasn't drunk…yet. Still, Ran knew how stubborn her father could be, even when sober. She also was aware of his feelings towards Conan. After a brief internal debate, her worry for the boy won over, though.

"I want to go look for Conan," she said. "He hasn't been back since he ran out earlier this afternoon."

"Whaddaryu talkin' about? The brat snuck in a long while ago…trying to be sneaky. But none can…none sneak by the Great Detective…Mouri!" Kogoro chuckled, pausing to take swigs of his alcohol. Ran froze.

"What…?" she said. "You mean…Conan is here?" Kogoro nodded. Instantly Ran's fear was replaced with her trademark hotheaded annoyance. She stormed towards the room where Conan stayed

"Conan…" she said, creaking open the door. She peered inside and saw him, clad in his green pajamas, seated on his cot and facing the wall away from her. "Conan! What are you doing?" she said. "You almost worried me to death! Why didn't you come to me when you came back here?" She stared sternly at the child and waited expectantly for an explanation.

"…Because I didn't want to see you," Conan replied after a long pause. "You're leaving and going to England. And I…I got mad at you, and I thought…you were mad at me."

"Conan," Ran said. This time, her anger was quick to change back into compassion for the grieving child. "I know you're upset about it…but it'll be okay, really." She walked over and knelt next to him. "Do you want to talk?"

"…No, it's okay," he said after another expectant silence. "It's late, and things will be pretty busy tomorrow. You need your sleep."

"Oh really?" Ran said. "I can think of a little boy who needs it more. Good night, then, Conan?"

""Yeah…good night, Ra…good night," he said. Ran walked out and shut the door slowly.

_'I can't believe I was about to go in there fuming mad! He's so sad, how could I get so upset at him? He's just a kid; he doesn't know what to do about any of this. God, I hope this doesn't mess him up or something, I know he sees me almost as his mother, even though he calls me nee-chan. Well…at least he used to call me that. Now I don't know how he feels about me with what I'm going to do.' _She walked back into her room, not bothering to wish her father goodnight. Kogoro was on his eight can of beer and was now beginning to show his trademark signs of intoxication. Sighing, Ran closed her door.

A few minutes later, Conan slowly crept out into the hall, careful to avoid the inebriated eyes of Kogoro.

_'I said I didn't want to talk…but I do. If she's feeling sorry for me, then now might be a good time to get some real answers out of her and get to the bottom of this problem,' _he mused, easing his glasses up his nose. He carefully eased Ran's door open, so as not to give the girl a scare.

"Uh…Ran?" he said from the doorway. "I don't think I can sleep. Can I stay here?" The target of his query sat up in her bed.

"Oh…uh, sure, Conan-kun. Right here," she said, pulling the blankets back and patting the space next to her with her hand. The child creaked the door back so no light would enter, then crawled over and jumped onto the bed. He laid back slowly, resting his hands on his navel.

"Thanks," he said after a minute.

"It's okay, Conan," she said. "I shouldn't have been mad at you in the first place. Good night."

A moment passed in silence.

"Uh, Ran?"

"Yes, Conan?"

"Why do you have to leave?" the boy asked. Ran gave a small sigh and rolled over to face him.

"Conan, I want to make sure that I get good opportunities for my future, and staying in school will-"

"You didn't answer my question," Conan interrupted. "There are plenty of good schools in Japan. So why…why do you have to…?"

Ran was left to marvel at the intelligence of the boy next to her, and not for the first time. His perception was really amazing for a child of such a young age. She glanced over at him, the moonlight catching of the glasses he still wore.

"Conan…I guess…oh, I don't know how to say this. My mother left my father…now Shinichi is gone too."

_'Ran, I'm right here! I'm not gone, I didn't abandon you! God damn…for the millionth time, why do I have to be like this?' _Conan thought, staring off into space. _'I want to hold you Ran. I want to look into your eyes and tell you that I'm right here, and you don't need to leave. But I can't…dammit, I can't. And now I may never.' _Conan looked up as Ran continued her explanation.

"Things just don't feel right anymore, not here. I wanted to get away, get away from the worry and the constant hassle. Then, I got the acceptance letter in the mail…it just seemed so perfect. I signed up without a second thought."

_'Trying to escape?' _Conan wondered. _'I guess I can't blame her, I mean if I had to take care of a jerk like Kogoro every day I'd probably feel the same way. But at the same time…' _"But things work out, right? Your friends are here and you have your family…even if it's hard to stay with the work you have to do, there has to be something worth staying for?"

"Conan, you don't understand. I don't want to leave behind the life I have here. I love my dad and my friends are great. But…it's _him_…something is calling me to do this because of Shinichi." Conan's eyes widened as Ran went on. "Shinichi left to do a job, a job he thinks is important. I think…maybe he hasn't come back because he doesn't think I appreciate the hard work he puts into his cases. So maybe…maybe if I get the best education possible, and work just as hard as he does…then he'll come back to me, then we'll…be together."

_'Ran, **no**!'_ Conan screamed silently. _'I never once looked down on you! And I would never think that you didn't appreciate what I did. You were always there, from the start. When the police force learned about my talent, they wanted me to work nights, weekends, whatever it took. And when they came to me, I solved their cases, but…I would get so tired, and no one cared. Except you, Ran. I could always go to you when I was on the verge of tears and you always had the right things to say to get me on my feet and rejuvenated. That's why I liked you from the beginning. You don't have to prove yourself to me, not at all. But…how can I tell you?'_

"Sorry, Conan," Ran said. "Maybe you're a little too young to understand how I feel, but…this is something I think I have to do."

"But what if Shinichi comes back from his case after you leave, and you never see him again?" the boy said.

"That's an easy one," Ran replied dreamily. "If he can leave everything behind to go to a place he has never been before, I'd hope that he would leave and follow me there. He would, if he felt the same way for me as I do about him."

"…I think he would, too," Conan said. In his mind, he replaced the word "think" with "know". But he couldn't help asking himself if following the girl he loved to England was a feasible act.

He still had to put a stop to the Black Organization. He had to find a cure for his condition, then find the Organization and make them pay. He'd make them all pay for each and every time Ran cried at night, wondering where Shinichi went. He'd make them pay for the suffering that Ai went through over the death of her sister. For each and every one of their horrible injustices, he would make them suffer. He'd dreamed about it for so long. But…what good was revenge if the woman he cared for beyond any rational explanation disappeared from his life in the process? Would taking down the Organization mean that Ran would leave without any way for him to find her?

Conan's small frame was shaking under his mental anguish. Ran leaned over and drew the boy into her arms, soothing him.

"Shh, it'll be okay, Conan. I promise," she said softly.

"I…I don't want you to leave," the boy said, his voice cracking with restrained tears.

"I know it's hard, I'll miss you too y'know. But you said before, things work out. You'll find a way," she smiled. "But for now, it's late. Let's get some sleep, tomorrow will be hectic."

"I guess you're right," Conan agreed. "Um…I know you're staying home from school tomorrow to get some stuff ready to…go. Can I stay home too?"

"Yeah Conan, I don't mind." With that Ran drew up the covers and lay back on her pillow. "I know you want to spend time with me."

_'Yeah, mostly,'_ Conan thought as he slowly removed his glasses and hid his face under the covers. _'But also I'm going to find some way to make you stay, Ran. Maybe a call from Shinichi tomorrow night would help. But there's gotta be some way to call this whole thing off. And for now…screw it. I want her to sleep well, and this whole conversation has been a little down. Since Shinichi can't call right now…I'm too tired. I'll at least feel that Conan forgives her.'_

"Good night, Conan-kun," Ran breathed softly.

"Erm…Ran?"

"What is it?"

"I was wondering…" Conan murmured sleepily. "If you're not mad at me anymore can you…can you be my nee-chan again?"

"Conan…of course. I always am, even if I get mad at you. No matter where I am, I'll always be there with you…I'll always be your Ran-nee-chan."

"…Good night, Ran-nee-chan."

--------------------------------

And there you have it, the third part of this work. I'm not too pleased with it, but my opinion isn't the one that matters, right? Anyway, feedback will be really appreciated on this one, given the situation I'm in now. I'm leaning towards two general directions I want to end the story on (of course I won't tell you). One could lead to a possible sequel and the other would be pretty finite. But I'm open to suggestions or things you, the reader, want to see happen, so tell me what you think? Okay?


	4. File 4: Mounting Desperation

Disclaimer: You know those crazy characters and situations in Detective Conan? Yep. They sure aren't mine.

Author's Notes: Wow. It ended up being a while…I fleshed out most of this over Thanksgiving, but then I left it sit. I didn't like the chapter much, but couldn't put my finger on why. I started reconsidering the plausibility of the story in general, and questioned whether I really wanted to finish it. But for now, I've thrown caution to the wind and I'm going to put this up, even without detailed beta-revision and personal consideration. Sorry if it's bad or Conan seems way out of character. That particular problem has been nagging at me throughout the entire fic and I'll explain my thoughts…sooner or later.

Chapter Summary: Hattori Heiji is the Western counterpart of Kudo Shinichi. Can the two really understand each other? Can Heiji ease Conan away from his fears and convince him that if he loves Ran, he'll do what is right? Or is Conan's growing desperation clouding his judgment and leading him to act rashly and make uncharacteristic decisions?

* * *

Star-Crossed Lovers  
A Detective Conan Fanfiction

File 4: Mounting Desperation

* * *

Ran was on the phone again.

Conan sat on the couch, slowly swinging his feet back and forth, watching the girl chat and taking the moment to relax. Ran had been right; it had been an infinitely crazy morning. Things were being rearranged, possessions packed away to go in the attic. Clothes were packed up and now Ran's bedroom stood almost bare. It had been decided that once all of Ran's stuff had been removed from her room, Conan would move in there and have a room to himself. But somehow, this new living arrangement didn't please Conan in the least, much to Ran's obvious chagrin.

_'She still knows I'm upset," _he thought. Slowly, he began listening in on the conversation Ran was holding.

"Yeah, I know. It's all so sudden, I just got my scholarship approval and the school is already paying my plane ticket for tomorrow! I wish there was more time to say goodbye to everyone, but they were pretty adamant. Their new semester will start soon and they insisted I'd need some time to adjust to living there before classes start," she spoke. The curiosity of a detective peaked, and Conan jumped off the couch, walking and tugging on Ran's pants leg.

"Ran-nee-chan, who are you talking to?" Conan asked.

"Oh, it's just Heiji," Ran said. Conan nearly jumped.

"Heiji-nii-san!" he smiled. "Ran-nee-chan, can I talk to him, please? Pleeease?" He hated himself for childish pleading, but Hattori was his best bet for some good ideas. After all, they were both high-school detectives. And, if Shinichi's instincts were at all reliable, he could guess that Heiji held repressed feelings for one Toyama Kazuha, much like he felt about Ran. If anyone could understand his turbulent heart, it was Hattori Heiji.

"Oh, sure, I guess it would be okay," Ran sighed. "Hey Heiji-kun? I'm gonna give the phone to Conan for a little bit; he wants to talk to you, and I need to get a few more things sorted out before it gets too late. Okay? Yeah…thanks, I hope so too! I'll be fine, though. I'll call sometime and let you know, okay? Thanks. Goodbye." She bent down and handed the phone to Conan, then turned and walked slowly to her room.

"Hey, Kudo?" the voice on the other end of the phone rang clear. "That you?"

"No, Hattori, my name is Conan Edogawa. Who's Shinichi Kudo anyway?" Conan said sarcastically. "Listen, I'm getting right to the point. You know what's going on?"

"Yeah, nee-chan just told me what was happening," Heiji said, understanding the sudden seriousness in the conversation. "It's hard to believe that she's leaving, just like that. So, what are you going to do?"

"Hell, I don't know. She's torn up about my disappearance and I think that part of the reason she wants to leave is the hope that she might find me," Conan sighed. Heiji was silent for a moment.

"Are you gonna tell her?" he said at length. "You know…I mean about your little secret."

"Hattori, do you really think that would help in the long run? Sure, she might stay. _Might_. That's if she believes me, or if I survive her subsequent onslaught. And if we both came out if it together, I'd only be more exposed and she'd be staying in a place where her life was in danger…no, I've got to find some way to convince her to stay."

Silence. Then Heiji began to speak, haltingly at first.

"Um…Kudo, are you sure that you want to do that?" he said. Conan blinked, and then had to take the phone away from his ear, staring at it accusatorily as if it were the person he was speaking to, and not Heiji. It was another moment of silence before he could close his mouth and return the phone to his face to offer his rebuttal.

"And let her just walk out on me? Maybe you're forgetting, Hattori, but I _do _plan on getting back to my normal body at some point. And…come on, you know how I feel. How am I supposed to let her walk out on me?" he said.

"Kudo, if you care for nee-chan as much as you claim to, maybe you'd calm down and let her make her own decisions, eh? England is supposed to be a nice place. And regardless of any reason she has, if she's made up her mind, you should respect that," Heiji sighed. Conan resisted the urge to stare in shock at the phone once again.

"You, too?" he said. "Everyone I've tried to talk to says that I have to respect Ran's feelings."

"Do you?"

"Dammit! Of course I do! I think that the amount of time I've been friends with Ran, I'd have a healthy respect for her will! I know she can be independent, and I know she is old enough to make her own decisions! But is it so wrong to want to have my own say in it? Right now, my feelings haven't come into the equation in the least! I respect her own rights but dammit, _I don't want to lose her_!"

"Listen to some reason, Mr. Detective!" Heiji almost shouted. "It's the day before her plane leaves, her room and board is already lined up, and her stuff is being packed as we speak. Need I go on? Or have you figured out that it's going to be damned impossible to talk her out of this?"

"There has to be a way, there has to be a way, there has to…" the boy whimpered, the harsh words of his counterpart from Osaka damaging his already harsh reality. "Just has to…"

"Alright, fine then. I guess I'd do the same thing were Kazuha leaving…not that you'll mention me ever saying something like that, neh?" Heiji chuckled. "So tell me what is it you _do _plan on doing?"

"I…I'm calling her tonight. As Shinichi. I think that if I talk to her, she might…" Conan stammered.

"Kudo, Kudo. Do you even realize that women have brains?! Let's see. 'Uh, hey Ran, sorry I've been gone over the past months, years, whatever, but I wanted to let you know that I may never come back. Just the same you should sacrifice one of the biggest opportunities in your life on the off-chance I'll wind up on your doorstep one morning begging for forgiveness. Ciao!' Yeah. Great. Now honestly ask yourself, do you _really_ think that would work?"

"You're no help!" Conan yelped. "So what _would_ you do in my situation, huh?"

"I already told you, Kudo. There's only one way I can think of to get you out of this mess. Show nee-chan that you really are there for her. The truth wouldn't hurt. Unless she kills you because of it," Heiji laughed.

"And I told you it's not worth the risk," the man-turned-boy replied sharply.

"Do you think that Ran is stupid? That if you told her everything that has happened, she wouldn't understand the seriousness of the situation? That she wouldn't understand that secrecy is key to everything she holds dear? Just face it; you've been lying to her because deep down, you don't want to trust her!"

"What the hell?! I trust Ran, just as much as I trust you, Hattori…or any of the people who _do _know my secret. But _no one_ is perfect, Hattori. You've called me Kudo more times than I can count, and in front of Ran too! The more people that know, the more chance there is that _someone_ slips up, says the wrong thing in the wrong company at the wrong time. And then everything is over. It's not like I wouldn't mind telling her, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself should something happen!" Conan groaned. "Protecting her…and you too, you know, has to be the priority."

"Well, in that case…hey, look on the bright side. If nee-chan leaves, she will be safer in England, away from you."

"Great. That makes me feel a lot better, knowing that the only way I can sleep at night is to never see her again," he said dryly. "You know I worry about her…but at this rate, I don't know how I'm going to…"

"Sounds like you're giving up," Heiji sighed. There was another short silence, and a determined intake of air on the other end of the phone line.

"No, ruling out options isn't giving up. There's got to be something I…Shinichi can say to her that will convince her that it isn't too late to call the whole thing off. I…I can't lose her. I just can't. If she leaves…I…I!"

Heiji was alarmed at the sudden pain behind the voice on the other end of the phone. Through the whole conversation, Kudo had at least kept a loose control of his emotions. But in the span of a split-second, that loose reign dropped completely. The boy sounded like he was could just keel over and die.

The Detective of the West groaned. The lovestruck fool had it worse than he thought.

_'If he can't get nee-chan to stay in Japan, I don't know what he'd do! It's disturbing enough to know that he's already showing signs of a mental breakdown, and he's supposed to be one of the sharpest guys in Japan! He'd go completely off the deep end!' _Heiji thought. _'This really is worse than I had thought.' _True, sometimes he felt himself at odds with his 'rival'. Hell, sometimes the boy drove him nuts. But Heiji was still concerned for the mental well-being of his Eastern twin, and his mind was racing for some way to calm him down. Conan was now giving short barks of breath over the phone, and Heiji realized that he was crying.

"Okay, Kudo…you've got to pull it together man! Don't kill yourself over this!"

"Kill…myself?" Conan murmured. Heiji groaned.

"Listen to me, Kudo. Listen. To. Me. Now you're being stupid. Just calm down. Please. It'll be okay, it'll be okay…"

"…will it?" Conan sighed. "Maybe you're right…oh no, I'm not going to be able to get her to stay…I'm going to lose her…"

"Kudo! Call her tonight!" Heiji shouted. "God damn, if you really love this girl, _do not give up_! Okay? You have to decide what to do, but just don't sit back now and let it all end! You're strong! But if you give up on me, I swear I'll…"

"Heiji?" Conan said, suddenly calling the Osaka native by something other than his surname. "…Thanks. You're right. I can't lose it now. Gotta keep my focus."

"No problem, Ku…Shinichi," Heiji said, breathing a sigh of relief. "It's no fun listening to you go to pieces."

"Sorry to bother you. Uh…are you coming up here to see Ran off?" Conan asked. "If…uh, she does leave."

"I'm going to try. Things are a little hectic here right now, and I'm working on a couple tough cases. I think that I can get up there to see nee-chan off to the airport, though."

"Alright then," Conan breathed. He perked up as he heard approaching footsteps. "Ran's coming. I should go."

"Alright then…" Heiji paused, and then he sighed. "Kudo? I'm...not big on this emotional stuff, but…you can talk to me, man, if you need it." Conan sniffed.

"I think I'm okay now, Hattori. I'll do everything I can." There was an interminable silence between the two, then Conan spoke again in a bright, childish voice, "Me too Heiji-nii-san! Okay, bye!"

Click.

Heiji sighed as he slowly replaced the phone on its receiver. _'Damn. Nee-chan, I hope you can make the right decision…for both your sakes.'_

--

"Did you enjoy talking on the phone with Heiji, Conan-kun?" Ran asked, setting down a few knick-knacks she still owned from her early school craft classes. It was funny, she mused inwardly as she set the small objects down, how such simple things could hold so much sentimental value. She turned her attention back to her young charge. Conan had quickly said his goodbyes to the Osaka boy and hung up when she entered the room. The boy crawled up, sitting on top of the couch and nodding.

"Heiji-nii-san told me a lot about some cool mystery cases he is working on in Osaka! And…he said it's okay that I'm sad since you're going to leave, Ran-nee-chan," the boy said. Inwardly, Shinichi suppressed a spiteful laugh. After all, it wasn't entirely a lie…

"That's surprising. Normally Heiji-kun has the emotional perception of a rock," Ran said snidely. Conan bit back a snort of genuine laughter this time.

"You really think so, Ran-nee-chan? But Heiji-nii-san is always so nice to me!" _'Unlike another detective around here we all know and love…'_

Said detective entered the Mouri household a few minutes later, grumbling about nothing in particular. Kogoro's mood seemed to brighten upon seeing his daughter, and the two held a hushed conversation near the entrance to the kitchen. Conan remained on his perch on the top of the couch, figuring it would save him a blow to the head not to pry. He stared absentmindedly out the open window, noting the fluffy clouds in the sunny sky. It was hard to believe that the weather could be so good on a day where he felt like this. His mood called for a few storm clouds, at the least.

He was broken out of his thoughts as Kogoro departed to his bedroom, and Ran slowly walked around the house, touching things, murmuring softly. Conan stared.

_'Is she…saying goodbye to the house? To her memories?'_ he thought.

"Erm…Ran-nee-chan…" he began. "Are you-?"

The boy's query was cut off by the sound of pounding footsteps. Mere seconds later, the door to the Mouri Detective Agency almost burst off its hinges. Conan promptly fell of the couch with a surprised yelp as his horror of horrors, Suzuki Sonoko, charged into the house with a shrill screech that was comparable in volume to the war cry of some sort of deranged madman's idea of an army.

"Uh, Sonoko! H-Hi…" Ran stammered. Sonoko grabbed her arm.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me your scholarship application was accepted!" Sonoko gushed. I might never have known had my trusted information sources informed me why you were missing school today! And you're leaving _tomorrow_?!" the girl shouted.

_'Trusted information sources? Sonoko? Ha!' _Conan thought, pulling himself into a sitting position and rubbing the already-forming bruise on his head. _'More like web of rumors…'_

"Um, yeah Sonoko, part of the deal was that I leave as soon as possible. I was going to find you and tell you as soon as I got some more things done!" Ran said. Sonoko sighed.

"Ran, Ran, Ran. Don't you learn? I'm not bothered by you leaving right now; I just wish you told me as soon as you found out! I knew you'd get accepted, they just couldn't turn someone like you down! Anyway, I actually know a few family friends in London who I just _have_ to call, they'll help you get settled in easy! And I'll definitely fly out there every chance I get and see you, so this is definitely not goodbye! But still, you should have told me!" Sonoko laughed.

"Well…it was kinda hectic yesterday," Ran said, recalling the fight with Conan and the worry it had inspired in the girl. Sonoko was still laughing.

"Well all that doesn't matter now. We gotta get you ready to go, girl!" Sonoko said, waggling a finger and raising her eyebrow.

"Ready to…Sonoko, what do you-?"

"You know, I hear that there are a _lot_ of cute guys in England. And their accent! Oh! I mean, there's the English that Saintemillion-san teaches us in class, and then there is _English _English. It's _so hot_. You've gotta be prepared, Ran!" She rolled her eyes. "I knew you'd be utterly clueless. That's why I, Suzuki Sonoko, still your best friend and guide in all of Japan, have decided to give you a push in the right direction so you can well…handle yourself in England."

"Handle myself?" Ran stuttered. "Sonoko, please, I'm not going to-"

"Don't interrupt! Okay, where was I? Right, you have to have the right tools to make yourself a popular new student and resident of a brand new country! I know all the fashions…I'll set you right. So, if you're ready for it, we'll go…"

_'Oh no…don't say it!' _Conan pleaded silently.

"Shopping spree!!" Sonoko cried gleefully, credits cards bursting from her pockets like they were magic and she thought she was the Kaitou Kid. Within seconds, a stunned Ran had been dragged out the door on their way to whatever unsuspecting, doomed department store awaited them. And then Conan was alone.

"That…girl…is insane," he said at length, finally dragging himself off the floor and dusting off his coat.

_'She seems utterly careless that her best friend is leaving, regardless of how many times she goes to visit,' _he thought bitterly. _'Makes you wonder what exactly is in that head of hers…' _He lay back on the couch, becoming pensive once more.

_'Alright, Shinichi.__ Ran's gone, and knowing Sonoko, she won't be back for at least hours. Now is the time for you to sit down and figure out _exactly_ what you're going to say to her tonight. You've got one shot for this and there can't be any mistakes!'_ he thought. _'Ran…I'll make you understand that I'll always be there.__ I'll find a way to convince you that if you leave, it'll ruin any chance of…of us. Together.'_

With that, his mind began racing to prepare a speech that would not be soon forgotten.

* * *

Author's Notes: And you thought that Sonoko wouldn't corrupt this fanfic with her insane antics. Fools. 

Anyway, what do you think? I'm now noticing the general trend towards more and more angst in this. The conversation between Heiji and Kudo told me a while to get it to the point where I was happy with it. I still think there was too much emotion switching way too rapidly and it gave the whole thing a distorted feel. In general, though, I'm more pleased with this chapter than the last one.

File 5 is in the works, but it'll have to be put on hold for a while: sadly, my college professors don't understand that I want to write fanfiction. They made up these things called final exams to torture my mind unto no end. Until the aforementioned tests of death are over, you can expect that all my time will be spent poring over textbooks and my barely decipherable lecture notes. Don't you love higher-level education?

And I don't know why I got lazy and didn't do reviewer response last chapter. I was evil. You guys' opinions mean the world to a freelance writer like me. (And in case you can't tell I'm begging for more of said reviews. Heh heh.)

**PRIVATE**—Thanks for the feedback!  
**magicbulletgirl**—Don't give up hope…yet; right now I plan to finish this story at the least. I'm glad you like my style.  
**Ember Mage**—You, of course, are my beta-reader now. So sorry for putting this up without hearing from you AGAIN, but I was getting antsy. It was just sitting on my computer, and I got tired of no reviews. No hard feelings? I still would really appreciate your feedback when you get the chance. As to the Detective Boys, I think I know why so many hate them; they're insatiably hard to write. The anime doesn't do them a whole lot of justice.  
**YumeTakato**—Glad you liked it! I'm debating several possibilities for the ending, but I want to keep the drama going until the last minute! I hope you won't be disappointed!  
**Firestorm2004**—I tried mailing you to see if you wanted the position, but it didn't work. If you're still interested, drop me a line; the more the merrier! I did check out the fanfics you recommended, and they really helped me get a better idea of the characters I was rather clueless about. Now to master the Black Org…Anyway, thanks for your encouragement.  
**LostArtofRock**—Conan and Ai? I dunno. Like I've stressed, the way I want to end this story is still up in the air. However, a writer named anime-obsession has published a ConanXAi fic with similar premises, Silent Life. I want to keep mine separate, so right now I doubt I'll pursue the niceties of a ConanXAi relationship.  
**Van**** Fanel's Soulmate**—Glad you feel so strongly about my story! Honestly, I felt so great when you wrote this was one of your favorite stories. As to the rift between Conan and Ran…I say nothing. Muahahahahaha! Don't worry, though, things always work out.  
**YumeTakato**—(again ) You enjoyed the ending? I hoped it wasn't too Conan-cliché. Guess it worked, then.  
**MrsDannyFenton**—Two votes for the ending being gut-wrenchingly cute! Glad you liked it!  
**MichelleTherese**—I'm glad you postulated about my fic, and about Conan's character. I realize that I've written him a little childish. I'm not going to go into why I let myself write him that way, but if I do finish this fic I'll be sure to explain all my thoughts in a final AN or whatever we authors do. In closing. I'm happy you think I did Ai well.

Phew. That's it. I promise to write as much as I can after exams, and you might even see some new fics from me! Maybe? Please review and give me feedback…you have no idea how much it encourages me to write this instead of doing other things. And finally…

Next Time! Conan can finally speak with Ran as his former self. Does Shinichi Kudo have the weight to change Ran's plans for the rest of her life? And can the one person you love really take the right to control your decisions?


	5. File 5: Calling Your Name

Disclaimer: For Christmas, I asked for the rights to Detective Conan. Unfortunately, even Santa couldn't get them from Gosho Aoyama, so it's still not mine.

Author's Notes: (runs from people) Aaaah!! Alright, alright, here! It's File 5! I'm sorry I didn't post this sooner…I wrote it twice, and both times I didn't like it at all. I deleted it both times and started fresh. Then I gave up on it for a while. Third time is a charm, I guess. Anyway, read and enjoy. I hope you like it!

Chapter Summary: Conan can finally call Ran to speak to her as Shinichi. But is it already too late for him to convince her that leaving Japan is not a good idea? Will their emotions bubble to the surface, or only serve to deaden the separation between them?

* * *

Star-Crossed Lovers  
A Detective Conan Fanfiction

File 5: Calling Your Name

* * *

The walk to the pay phone was always one of the strangest and most variable things in the pretentious life of Edogawa Conan.

Sometimes the walk to the booth was happy and relaxed with the thought that soon he would be speaking with the girl who was in his heart. Other walks were full of anxiety and thoughts of what the girl would say this time; would Ran still hold the same degree of amiability towards the one who abandoned her? Many times, it was a slow, depressing road, only serving to remind him of the curse that fate had laid upon him.

This time was new. Conan wasn't entirely depressed, nor was his excited. Worry was there, but not in the way it had been on the other walks. On this occasion, the boy was simply lost in a sea of turbulent thoughts. After his earlier conversation with Heiji, Conan had only become more confused about the measures he needed to take to get through to Ran.

_'If I push Ran too hard, knowing her stubbornness, she'll probably only resist more. I've gotta focus and be reasonable with her, and explain why I need her to find a way to call this off. But…I have to watch what I say. Let too much slip about the whole situation, and we're all going to be in deep shit.' _He smiled innocently at an elderly couple walking by him on the street, presumably out to enjoy the late night air.

"Well, what's a young child like you walking around the street this late at night?" the woman asked. Conan blinked.

"Just walking around and thinking," he answered politely.

"Well, just be careful. You don't want to make your parents worry, do you?" she said, smiling. Conan shook his head and continued on his way by them with a quick farewell. The light of the phone booth was just a few meters away, shining with the hope that Kudo Shinichi could still salvage a future with Ran.

He slipped inside and shut the door behind him, standing to reach the black handle of the phone. He took a breath and rested his hand on the receiver.

_'Okay…Kogoro wasn't drinking tonight, not yet, and it's too early for him to be in bed. But there was that Yokou Okino life special on television…when did that start? Must have been about 10 minutes ago; good. He probably won't even notice the phone ring,' _he thought. Lifting his bow-tie voice modulator up to his face, he closed his eyes, letting himself focus in on the task he had to accomplish tonight. He lifted the receiver and placed his coins in, dialing the number almost by reflex. It rang.

_'Alright…here we go,' _he thought as there was a second ring, and then a third. Midway through the fourth ring, someone picked up.

"Moshi moshi, Mouri Detective Agency," Ran spoke breathlessly. Conan paused slightly, the replied.

"Hey Ran," he spoke in his real voice.

"…S-Shinichi?" she gasped. "Is that really you?"

"Yeah, it's me!" he said. "Sorry I haven't called in a while, but…well, you know, things are really busy here and-"

"You baka! Why the heck haven't you called me! I worry about you, you know? Months go by without you calling…sometimes I think that you've been hurt…"

"Relax," he laughed away her concerns. Conan found himself already slipping back into his old easygoing self, the mask he still put back on to speak with Ran, the mask to convince her that he hadn't changed. "The great Kudo Shinichi won't be hurt in the line of duty. I'm just too smart for something like that!"

"Yeah…" Ran said, subdued. "That sounds exactly like the stuck-up, mystery-loving baka that I know." There was a brief silence as both speakers searched for the words they wanted to say. Ran spoke first, "So…uh, how are you?"

"Me? Well, I'm doing okay, I guess. I'm starting to believe the guy who's keeping me on these cases isn't even human! Things are usually pretty hectic…I wanted to call more often, but between the multiple murders and the sheer incompetence of some of the guys I'm working with…it just slipped my mind. I mean-"

"Shinichi, stop it," Ran broke him off. "Is this what you called for? To tell me that you just are too busy for me? If that's the case, then I'm just going to"

"Ran, wait!" he pleaded desperately. She stopped, but the expectant pause let him know she was waiting to hear whatever excuse he came up with. "Listen…I didn't mean it like that. I just…I mean…listen, Ran." He took a shaky breath as his mind began racing. _'I can't say something like that again…if she gets angry, she won't hear me out.' _"Conan called me the other day; he was in tears. I have to know…is what he said true? Are you really…leaving Japan?"

"Oh, really? That's right, because you haven't been here; I guess you never found out about my scholarship. I probably meant to tell you sooner, but I guess it must have…slipped my mind," she hissed. He gulped; Ran continued to speak with a higher sense of calmness in her voice. "Yeah…he wasn't lying or anything. I got a scholarship to study in England, and I'm going to be living there. The way I see it, I've got an internship already set up for me there…I can work my way through school and then I'll already have a secure job with room to move up in the ranks."

"Well, uh…congratulations, Ran. That's really great," he said, preparing for what his next words would be. "But…you know, I…listen, it would be…I think that…"

"Stop stuttering, Shinichi," Ran laughed. "I'm glad you're happy for me, but what's wrong now?"

"Um…I might not be as happy as you think, Ran," he said. Having no way to ask her gently, Conan shut his eyes and spoke short and simple.

"Please don't do it."

"What…? What do you mean?" Ran said quickly. Conan couldn't bring himself to open his eyes, shaking slightly as he prayed that the words he was about to say would somehow change Ran's plans.

"I…I don't think you should go…"

"You're…serious?" she said. "Shinichi…what the hell are you saying!? You don't want me to do this? I thought that you were-"

"Ran, please. If you leave Japan…I might not be able to catch up with you. When I come back, I wanted you to be there…"

"First off, that's _if_ you ever come back," she interrupted hotly. "And if you really wanted to see me, why don't you just come to England? I mean, you've already shown that you don't care about leaving Japan yourself without a second thought. And they'll probably have mysteries there for you to solve when you get tired of me again."

"Ran, what…what are you saying?!" he shouted. "I promise that I'll…I mean, what do you mean by 'get tired of you'?"

"Shinichi, just listen. I went out today with Sonoko…and we talked. Shinichi, you've been gone for what seems like years, you almost never call, on the rare occasions I ever think you're somewhere around you always disappear before I get a chance to spend a solid hour with you. Sonoko was right, Shinichi. Getting away from Japan is probably the best thing I can do…it'll help me move on."

"Move on…no, Ran, it's not like that! I don't know what Sonoko meant, or what you girls talked about, but I really didn't mean to leave you…it's just that I got drawn into this situation and…I swear I'll find a way to come home Ran! I swear it! But you can't leave…you just can't."

"Shinichi…it's not just that. Listen. I really feel like this is a great opportunity for me…I think that if I go, it'll really help my future out. And besides-"

"Ran, just listen to me!" Conan hissed into the bow-tie, not even noticing that he was beginning to raise his voice. "You deserve every opportunity in the world to do this...it's just that, well…I'm afraid that if you leave Japan, I won't be able to…that is, when I get back I wouldn't-"

"Shinichi, you listen to me, _please_," Ran cut him off curtly. "I was at the mall with Sonoko today…and we got to talking. She thinks that…look, Shinichi. I know that you pride yourself in your abilities, your work. I know it's important to you. But…" There was a short pause, and then Ran spoke again, hints of frenzied emotion showing through her voice. "Sonoko and I talked, and…I don't think that I want to be with someone who refuses to make time for things other than what he does!"

The boy gasped silently; sweat slowly began to break out on his forehead. "Ran, what are you-" Ran only laughed softly in response, but she couldn't bring herself to find any shred of humor in the situation.

"It was odd, Shinichi…for the longest time, I really thought I was in _love _with you," she said wistfully. Conan's blood ran cold in shock. "I think that was why I was convinced that you really would come back someday. But every time…I usually never even see you..." Conan's mind was reeling. Was he really hearing this? Was it true? Ran's breathless explanation continued. "The one time you came back, I thought my prayers had been answered. We had dinner…it was like a dream, you know? But then, duty calls the great Kudo Shinichi back…again…" Tears were becoming apparent in her speech. "And…I'm left in the dust; again, again…I don't want to hurt, not anymore! I want to leave…so that I can forget my pain…"

Conan had pulled the bow-tie away from his mouth. He slowly slumped against the cool glass wall of the booth. He coughed slightly as tears threatened to spill from his eyes, which were clenched shut. _'So…this is it? She has given up…I can't believe it! She really said that she…and she…' _He shoved against the wall and grabbed the bow-tie, forcing it against his face. "Ran, I…I want to come back! I swear I'm going to come back! I swear! But…"

"No, Shinichi. I have made my decision." She said it with soft finality. He could tell she meant it; he was good at reading people's voices to determine the secrets behind their words. It was invaluable in a criminal investigation, but why did he have to understand it now?

"You told m…you told Conan, last night, that you wanted to leave because you didn't think I thought you appreciated my working so hard…that I looked down on you because of my achievements, and you wanted to make a name for yourself…? But, Ran, that's…that's not true! I…always thought that. I didn't look down on you because of the differences in what we did. I don't want you to feel like you have to compare yourself to me!" There was a long silence. Then, Ran spoke again.

"Wait…I talked with Conan last night. But you said he called when he was still over with Agasa? Shinichi-"

Conan almost dropped the phone. He'd really done it this time. _'Dammit, damn you Kudo Shinichi! Didn't you say to yourself that you couldn't let your emotion get in the way?! Now look at this! You've gone and let something slip that doesn't fit in with your story…oh no, oh no…she's gonna figure it out…she's going to _know_…what can I do, I have to bluff it off, no other way! Please believe me, Ran…' _He gritted his teeth before summoning a nervous laugh out of the depths of his throat. "Uh…heh heh, did I say he called when he was with Agasa? I…well, I mean…he told me he went over there yesterday, but he called while you were out. Today," he added quickly. "That's why he told me what went on between you two."

"…I see," Ran said. "Well…I have to admit, for a while I did feel that I couldn't compare with you. But…I don't want to make that the reason why I am going to England anymore. I'm going because of the reasons I stated on my application; I want a good education and a chance to see the world. And…I'm sorry, but I want to move past this. Please understand."

"Ran…" Conan gasped into the bow-tie, gripping it so tight that his knuckles were whitening. "Please…don't do this, Ran…I swear, I want to…I'll come back for you, only you!"

"Shinichi," Ran said, and he could almost hear her sad smile. "I really am sorry. But I can't call this off now. I think…I know how you feel. But it can't happen, not now, not this way. I'm going, and I'm sticking to that."

"No…Ran…"

"We're going into Tokyo to catch the international flight from the airport there. I really would appreciate it if you could come here to see me off. I really mean it, Shinichi. Please…I want you to be there."

"Ran…I don't know if I-" He was cut off by a sudden crash that came from outside the phone booth. Whirling around while still holding the phone, he peered outside in surprise.

The elderly couple he had seen walking before was back, but this time they seemed to be in quite a predicament. The two were backed up against the brick wall of a small alleyway. From his vantage point inside the booth, Conan could see a man confronting them, his face obscured by the shadows cast by the streetlights. What _was _visible, however, was the knife he was waving in the air like a madman as he shouted at the pair. A nearby trash bin had been knocked over—probably the cause of the crash he had heard.

Conan wasn't sure if the man had some sort of assignment in confronting the old man and woman, or if he was just some petty thief with a complete lack of morality. He did know, however, that if the man had seen him, he would have been up against the wall as well, being threatened with the knife. He quickly realized that the man was no professional if he really hadn't bothered to look around the area before he made his move. He also knew that if he didn't do something, this situation could turn violent, and possibly deadly. He gave a hiss of frustration and lifted the phone back to his mouth.

_'Why now, of all times?' _he cursed fate silently. He began to speak quickly. "Listen Ran, there's a problem here. I swear I'll be _right back_, just give me a minute." He quickly dropped the phone and silently slid the door of the booth open, simultaneously lifting up his left arm and activating the small crosshair on his watch. The seemingly innocent timepiece was another gadget entrusted to him by Agasa and would fire small darts that could knock out the target. Conan smiled. He'd knock out the wannabe-punk in seconds flat. The voices from the argument reached him now that the door was partway open.

"-I'll tell you again, we have nothing to give you! Now leave us alone!" the old man was shouting hoarsely.

"Shut up! I know you've got something, you have something! Watches, rings, money, I don't care! You have _something _that is worth something! Give me all of it now before I have to hurt you!" the thief spat in a voice that suggested he was actually quite young.

_'It always disgusts me to see how low these crooks are,' _Conan thought as he aligned his scope with the back of the young thief's neck. _'Some world we live in…Oh well, no one is coming to harm tonight, not in front of me. Nighty-night!' _He depressed the trigger switch. There was an audible _click _from inside the watch. Nothing happened. Conan slowly brought his arm up to stare at the piece.

_'No…!' _he gasped mentally. _'Is it…jammed somehow? But I thought Agasa told me it wouldn't…dammit! Why did you have to fail _now_?' _Looking up, he noticed a crushed can of soda, presumably originating from the overturned trash container. Without a second thought, he flung the door wide-open, startling both the thief and the aged couple. He darted out, bending down and twisting a knob on his sneaker. As the energy gathered in yet another of Agasa's legacies, he straightened his body, bringing the foot back and aligning himself with his target. His foot connected with the can just as the mugger raised his weapon in surprise. The can hurtled forward, years of soccer expertise combining with technological prowess to create terrifying force. The can impacted the man's chin with a loud _crack _and sent him flying off his feet, unconscious before he even hit the ground several feet away. Blood trickled from a jagged cut along his cheek as he moaned once, then lay still. Conan grinned.

_'Well, that's that. I'll check out the old couple later, right now I need to-!'_

"Young boy…that was amazing! How on earth did you learn to do such a thing?" the woman asked him as the man walked over to inspect the comatose would-be mugger. Conan grinned sheepishly.

"It's…just some trick I know, but I didn't know if it would work. Uh, heh heh, guess I was just lucky!" he said innocently.

"Luck, nothing!" the man laughed heartily. "This punk is down for the count! It took a lot more than luck to knock him out! That was some amazing talent!"

"Well…thanks!" he said. "If you are okay, I have an important phone call I need to finish…" He started stepping back towards the phone booth.

"Nonsense! A young person like you doesn't need the responsibility of having important phone calls. We'll call the police now and then you can finish your business later."

Conan was inwardly fuming as the couple fussed over him. He could barely believe this. Now he was wasting more time trying to weasel away from the gratitude of this couple. He felt a little bad for breaking away from them, but Ran was the important thing here. He jumped back inside the phone booth and snatched up the receiver as the couple stared at him from the street.

It was dead, he quickly realized.

She had hung up.

He blinked once in surprise, then again in calculation. It had taken him a good two minutes overall to knock out the mugger and get away from the old couple's praise. And she had hung up; even after he told her he'd be right back. Digging in his pocket, he produced more change and quickly inserted it, dialing the number as he did so. It rung three times before there was an answer.

"Moshi moshi, Mou-"

"Ran, I'm sorry!" he shouted before she finished. "There was something I needed to do really quick, and-"

"I should have known," she sighed. "It's just like what you've always done. You always run off with 'something to do'. Then you come back later and apologize, you say you'll be back, you _always say you will come back_! But…not anymore, Shinichi. I don't want to hurt anymore. I guess you won't come tomorrow after all, so…goodbye, Kudo Shinichi. Good luck with your _difficult case_." The last words were a tortured cry, and then a loud slam.

She hung up on him. Again.

_'No…this isn't happening! Ran…Ran! Don't do this to me…I swear, please, I don't mean to…please, please, please don't do this to me…'_ he thought frantically as he rummaged for more change. He inserted the coins quickly and dialed the number, almost missing several of the numbers in his haste. He gripped the phone breathlessly as it rang once…twice…again and again…

There was no answer.

He realized what was happening. She wouldn't even answer anymore, trying to escape the pain he caused her. But…he had to tell her. She _had _to know, from his mouth, how he _really _felt! He jammed on the coin return lever. It jammed defiantly. Swearing loudly, he reached in his pocket for more coins.

Nothing there, either. He had run out of change.

And then the finality hit him. It was over. Ran was leaving. He was alone.

He had failed. He had _failed_.

Conan dropped to his knees, tears running silently down his face. It was too hard for him to believe. He couldn't accept it. He wouldn't be able to accept it.

No. He had to accept it; it was, after all, the truth. It was all over.

And he screamed. He screamed in rage, and fear, and sadness, and loneliness for what seemed like an eternity to him. But eternity could never be long enough…because as soon as his emotions and his strength left, the cold, hard truth was still there.

"There is only one truth," he had always said. He believed in truth, advocated it, and protected it. So _why did the truth have to hurt so damn much?!_

--

When thepolicecruiser arrived later with flashing sirens, the lone officer found an unconscious young man and a distraught elderly couple who spoke of a young boy who had heroically stepped forward to save them. The grunt officer looked around, but there was no sign of the gallant young boy.

There was no sign of the boy who had lost his soul.

* * *

Author's Notes: I finally am happy with this chapter. Yep! And it's getting darker…more angst…I'm considering changing it to Drama/Angst because I can…plus Tragedy maybe doesn't fit it so well. Suggestions?

Anyway, I've finally got the story planned out to a degree where I can see where I want to go with it. If things don't change, there will be three more chapters and an epilogue. I know basically what I want to have happen in each chapter, so it's just a matter of sitting down and writing it. Reviews with suggestions or ideas would still be appreciated.

Thanks to Firestorm2004 for beta-reading this on such short notice. Ember, sorry, but I couldn't e-mail it to you seeing as my e-mail is frigging DOWN. Apologies? Forgiveness? Want to kill me?

I was listening to _So Alone, Be Sorrow _from Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time the entire time I wrote this chapter. It's a moving piano piece that helped me find the mood. Listen to it, it's not bad. You could listen to it while reading the chapter for the whole 'inspiration effect'.

As for updating, it might be a little bit longer between them. That's because I'm planning to post Files 6 and 7 around the same time, the File 8 and the epilogue at the same time. That is, if the chapter count stays the same as I've planned. So forgive me in advance.

Now, reviewer response!

**Silver Sky Magician**—He spoke to her using the phone in this chapter, it didn't work. What to do next? Wait and see… (looks down at next file's preview)  
**Firestorm2004**—Finals ended…but I couldn't get past this chapter. I'm finally happy with it now and hope you all like it. Even thought its horrible angst and Conan-torture and all that jazz.  
**YumeTakato**—Multiple endings, eh? I dunno…it could work, but I don't know if I could make the endings different enough. But anyway, I _think _I know what I want to happen. But it's always a possibility. I could just do an omake. Or several  
**Cat**—Wow. Glad you really really like it. I try to update as much as I can, but writing is a chore too you know…it's hard for me to write seriousness and like it. I used to just write random humor: easy to do but not really good. So I'm glad my attempts at doing drama are appreciated!  
**Inu-youkai 911**—Thanks for putting it on your favorite list! It means a lot to me. I will update as soon as possible again, but there are always unexpected consequences. Like my class load. And my always being tired. I really appreciate you readers who take time to review. It means the world to me.

(Looks at list) That's barely anything! More reviews, dammit!

For all of those who read this and want it updated faster, let me put it this way: I love reviews. I love them so much. Reviews are what tell me my story is loved. Reviews are what decide how I budget my time between writing this, playing Star Ocean, and bothering to do my work for classes. A large amount of reviews when I check my account will make me say "Geez, Meitantei. These people all want to read your story. You'd better get off your ass and write more instead of spending time playing games or reading other fanfics!" Hell, I wouldn't mind skipping class with the excuse of writing fanfics…wonder if that is a valid excuse for missing English 101 because I was writing freelance…

Now that the shameless plea is over, some seriousness. Please. Review. I really want advice, thoughts, and critiques, or anything else you give me. It does mean the world to me to let me know I'm now just doing this for nothing. And finally…

Next Time! His last plan failed, and Ran is leaving Japan in a few short hours. Is a desperate Conan ready to give up everything so that he can have the one thing that matters to him the most? Can anything really make a difference now? One truth prevails in Star-Crossed Lovers File 6: Coming Clean!


	6. File 6: Coming Clean

Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out by now that I don't own Detective Conan, your name must be Mouri Kogoro. Get a clue already.

Author's Notes: Wow, this got started a lot sooner than I thought I would be able to. Things are pretty busy on the college scene, but I'll take some time out and work on getting this chapter out a lot sooner than most of my updates! It turned out to be rather long…hoping you guys don't mind. Although I've got a gut feeling this chapter won't go over well…still, I really hope that you enjoy it!

Chapter Summary: His last plan failed, and Ran is leaving Japan in a few short hours. Is a desperate Conan ready to give up everything so that he can have the one thing that matters to him the most? But, can anything really make a difference now?

* * *

Star-Crossed Lovers  
A Detective Conan Fanfiction 

File 6: Coming Clean

* * *

Even as Ran stared out the window of the Mouri Detective Agency, she was unable to rid herself of the words that had come to pass only the night before. 

She knew that there was only a few hours left before she had to be at the airport for her first flight departure. She couldn't bring her mind to ease. She couldn't stop thinking about what Shinichi had said. Ever since she had hung up on him in a fit of anger, she simply could not stop running the heated conversation through her mind. Even as she slept, an awful premonition had haunted her subconscious.

_Shinichi appeared to her, wrapped in a void of darkness and drenched in his own blood. He slowly staggered towards her as she stood, unable to tear herself away from his mournful eyes and their silent plea._

_"Don't you see what I would do, Ran?" he had said. "Don't you see that I would die for you? To be with you? You can't leave…don't leave me…"_

She had awoken in a cold sweat. The memory of that vision sent a chill running up her spine, and she pressed her head against the window, her hand listlessly running down the cool glass.

_'I talked to him,' _she thought airily. _'I thought that I could move on…but I don't know anymore. I think that I really do…love…him; that mystery-otaku, that baka. I…but I don't know if what I am doing is right. If I leave him behind, then what makes me better than him? I thought that he had left me…but now I'm leaving him. It's too late to call it off now, though. I've made my decision, and I will stick to it!'_

A sudden crash jolted her out of her musing. Glancing up, she quickly noticed her father, who was straining to lift one of her suitcases down the stairs and knocking over several things in the process of dragging the heavy bag. Without hesitation, she got up and rapidly strode over to where Kogoro was beginning to swear at the offending piece of luggage.

"Dad, it's okay. I'll take it down," she said, lifting up the suitcase and carrying it towards the exit. Kogoro mumbled something about unnatural strength and that damn karate, but he soon followed his daughter out to their car, where Ran was already placing the luggage in the trunk.

"Is there any more?" she said. He shook his head quickly in response.

"No, I think we've gotten it all already," he said, briefly closing his eyes. "I do need to get gasoline for the trip to the airport before we leave, though."

"Alright, but don't forget to do it…we wouldn't want to get stranded because you didn't fill up the tank!" she teased him lightly. He snorted in response.

"Hey, I'm gonna do it, okay? I'll go in a little bit and pick you up some drink or snacks for the flight, then come back and pick you up, and we'll go. Sound good to you?"

"Fine, I don't really need anything, though," she admitted. Kogoro rubbed his chin.

"You know, Ran," he spoke haltingly. "You really don't have to do this if you don't want to. There are plenty of fine schools in Japan."

"Dad, you don't need to talk me out of it. I am going to go and get out, have new experiences, all that stuff it said on the application!" she replied at length. "Don't tell me that you're worried about me being alone?"

"I know you can take care of yourself," he said, looking at her. "I'm…well, it's just that I want to make sure that you are positive about this. It's a really big decision, you know, and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to back out. There are a lot of reasons for you to stay here too…"

"Oh, come on, you're just afraid of what will happen when I'm not around to cook and clean for you," she said. The father and daughter shared a half-hearted laugh before Ran continued. "Seriously, though, I have thought about this, and…I'm really sure it's what I want to do."

"That's good," Kogoro said. "You know, I don't always act this way, but I am really proud of you, Ran. You'll do great…and I'll miss you."

"Oh, Dad…" Ran sighed. "We're not even saying goodbye yet and you're already making a scene over it!" They laughed again. "Thanks, though, Dad. I know you and Conan will do okay…and I'll miss you too, you know." She sniffed lightly, drawing a small tear from her eye. Kogoro looked puzzled at the end of her sentence.

"Speaking of the kid, I haven't seen him all day," he mused. "Don't tell me he's over at that kooky old man's house again?"

"Conan?" she said. Now it was Ran's turn to be puzzled. "He came in last night and went straight to bed. He didn't come out for breakfast, and I haven't seen him…I think he's inside, somewhere…" The two thought over this for a moment before Ran turned and started walking towards the door. "I think I'll go check on him."

"Alright then," Kogoro sighed, placing his hands into his pockets. He turned back to the car as Ran slipped inside and shut the door.

Ran walked through the house, looking for the boy. She didn't see him in the kitchen, nor in the bathroom. It was then she noticed a small sound coming from down the hall. Turning, she walked slowly towards the door to her—no, it was Conan's room now. Knocking lightly on the door, she called his name and stepped back.

Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then the door creaked open and Ran found herself staring down at the young child. His eyes were dull and unfocused, like he hadn't had any rest through the night before. He was also wearing the same clothes he had yesterday, rumpled and disheveled, staring up at her blearily.

"Ran…" he muttered. "Sorry…"

"Conan, are you alright? You look pale…did you get any sleep?" she said admonishingly. He slowly shook his head.

"Couldn't sleep…don't want you to go…" he groaned. She could only look down at him sadly.

_'Poor kid,' _she thought. Turning, she walked down the hall. "Come on. You need something to eat, and then we can spend some time together. How about that?" He followed her slowly, his steps soft and labored. He went and sat on the couch as she began preparing a quick bowl of ramen in the kitchen.

"Ran!" Kogoro called from outside. "I'm leaving now to get gasoline and run a few errands. I'll be back in about a half-hour, alright?"

"Sure thing, dad!" she called back. There was the faint sound of a car engine starting, and then silence as she watched him drive off through the window. Humming a soft tune to herself, Ran went back to preparing some nourishment for Conan.

Meanwhile, Conan was curled up on the couch, his arms crossed and his head tucked into his chest. He slowly rocked back and forth.

_'It didn't work…' _he though, briefly looking up to see Ran before resuming his position. _'Even talking to her couldn't convince her to stay…I couldn't convince her. No. That's not it…it's that I didn't have enough time to explain everything. Not enough time to tell her how I feel.'_ He drew himself into a sitting position. _'Come on, Kudo, _think_! There has to be some way…I know that there is a way not to lose her!' _He kicked his mind into overdrive as the faint scent of noodles began to fill the air. Another minute passed.

_'No…no…nothing! I can't leave to call her again, and she wouldn't listen to Conan,' _he frowned. Then, the words he had spoken to Heiji echoed in the back of his head. _'I could tell her what really happened…dammit, that won't work either! She might stay if I convince her I've been here all along…but we won't be safe.'_ He stared up again at the object of his affection, then back down at his own hands. Hands that were so cursed now, so small, yet so burdened. He slowly came to a decision. _'There is…only one truth. I have to…I _will _tell her the truth. Black Organization be damned…it's my only chance.' _He brought himself to a sitting position as Ran poured the ramen into a small bowl, her humming transformed into soft singing.

_-I don't wanna cry!  
__Mou ichido aishite mo ii?  
__Kodoeteru furueteru watashi ga iru  
__"Nando de mo futari de ikite ikitai."  
__Anata no koe wo kikasete hoshii-_

She sat down next to him, handing him the bowl and a glass of water. He ate slowly, looking at her in between mouthfuls. Without warning, he set the bowl down and looked up at her.

"Ran-nee-chan, can I…can I talk to you?" he said softly. Ran blinked.

"Of course you can, Conan-kun," she smiled warmly. The boy looked down in response, and he got to his feet, walking away from the couch and standing directly in front of her. He stared right into her eyes, and began to speak to her.

"I wanted…I wasn't sure that, if this time ever came, what I would do about it," he said. Ran immediately noticed the changes in his voice. It was no longer the innocent sound of a child, nor was it the determined, calculating tone he took on whenever a mystery was afoot. Rather, it was…mature. And strangely enough, it was incredibly familiar…

"W-what do you mean?" she stammered. He looked away for a moment, a ray of sunlight catching his glasses and obscuring his eyes.

"Do you remember, Ran? How it was like growing up? We were always together, always hanging out, but it never seemed like we were anything more than friends. It was nice, but gradually I had to start coming to terms with the strange feelings that began popping up. I had to realize how I felt…" Conan was going on emotion now, simply babbling his back story to prepare her for the unbelievable news he was about to reveal to her. "I wanted to tell you, that day at Tropical Land, but…somehow, fate stopped it. And, now I'm like this because of it…"

Ran's hand had slowly gone to her throat throughout the conversation. She wasn't deaf, she had picked up on the tones in his voice, but…it was impossible, wasn't it?

"You're…Conan, what are you?" she said. The boy looked at her again before slowly bringing a hand to his face. With one sweep, he sent his glasses—his mask—tumbling to the floor.

"Ran…I really am Kudo Shinichi," he intoned quietly.

Ran's world froze. It really couldn't be. A teenager somehow returned to the body of a child? That was science-fiction nonsense, right? It couldn't happen to someone…

But then again, hadn't she held her own suspicions time and time again, only to be disproved every time? Wasn't she the one who held out some insane hope that, somehow, he had really been there all along by God-knows-what methods? Hadn't she, for a time, believed that _what he was telling her now was really true?_

Logic suspended reasoning, and she immediately latched onto the first thing that came to mind.

"Conan-kun, that really isn't nice. I know that you're upset about me leaving, but saying something like that isn't the way to go about it! Now say you're sorry," she admonished. Conan shook his head, smiling wryly.

"I didn't know if you'd believe me. But, Ran, it's true. I know it seems impossible…look at me, Ran. Look at me and you'll know!"

She stared. It was true, without the glasses to hide behind, the little details, he really did look like-

Reality crashed around her again as it sank in. It was _him_. He was telling the truth.

"H-how…?" she managed to gasp.

"That night, at Tropical Land, when I chased those two suspicious men. Remember? They were part of some crime syndicate; I saw them making a back-room deal and they found me out. They made me ingest a poison that would supposedly kill me without leaving any evidence, but instead…it shrank me into this body." He stared pointedly at himself. "Ran…"

_'It really does make sense, somehow,'_ she thought. Just when Shinichi disappeared, Conan came into her life. But, an evil organization, spreading its corruption? Drugs that caused a person to de-age? It seemed like something out of fiction, not something that would actually happen!

"It is…really you," she sighed. "Why didn't you tell me this, Co- Shinichi?"

He stared at his feet before opening his mouth to respond. "Ran…those men thought I was dead. If they found out that I was still alive, they'd come after me for what I knew, and kill anyone who was in the way. I didn't want to see you hurt because of me." He sighed.

"But how?" she said. "Those times that you called me, and…you even were there, normal, standing next to Conan!"

"Agasa-hakase helped me out," he said, laughing as he raised his bow-tie up to his face. "It's a voice-changer he made," he said in Shinichi's voice. "I used it so that I could call you. As for that other time…well, I had some help from Haibara."

"Ai-chan?" Ran said. Something clicked in the back of her mind, and she glared at the boy. "Don't tell me…her too? She's-"

"Bingo," he said. "Her name was Miyano Shiho, and she used to work for the Organization. She basically created the poison that did this to me…but they tried to kill her, and she took the drug herself to commit suicide; instead it shrank her and she was able to escape. She helped make a temporary antidote to the apoptoxin…that I could be in my body for a short time…but there are only so many, and I can't use them repeatedly, or else…"

"This is…this is too much," she said. "I can barely believe it…but…it really _is _you, isn't it?"

"I am here, Ran," he said. "Please…listen. I wanted to tell you last night when I had the chance. But…Ran, I don't want you to go! I don't want you to leave me…"

"Sh-Shinichi…" she said. Without warning, he launched himself at her, wrapping his small frame around her and sinking into her sweater, shaking with barely-restrained tears.

"I couldn't say anything," he gasped. "I couldn't do anything, I had to always sit by and watch you cry over me…_and there was nothing I could do_! I had to live with hurting you…it hurt so much, Ran, I could barely stand it! I don't know how much longer I would be able to take it!"

"Shinichi," she inhaled, slowly raising her arm to rest on his heaving back.

"I don't want you to leave…I can't be without you…I…_I love you, Ran_!"

She inhaled sharply. He had said that…that he loved her? She always hoped that Shinichi would return her feelings, but…

For the longest time she had berated herself over what seemed like a stupid crush on a boy who was just a friend, then and forever. She tried getting his attention, but despite the rumors throughout the school, nothing would ever happen. Eventually she had resigned herself to the fact that he would always just be her tagalong friend, and nothing more; she could take some happiness in that, for at least she could be with him, right? But then the day at Tropical Land came, and he seemed so…so _different_. And then, he left.

Only he hadn't left, had he? He had still been there, hiding from her. Staying right under her very nose, as a little brother to her…

"Shinichi," she said slowly. "Why…why couldn't you tell me?"

"I told you, if the Black Organization had figured out I was alive, they'd come after me, not caring about anyone who died in the process. I thought you'd be hurt, Ran. I didn't want to watch you die for me." _'Not that they haven't really figured out my secret anyway…Vermouth knows, but she is keeping the information away from those who'd come to kill me…' _he added in his mind.

"…you didn't trust me?" she said, pulling him away to stare into his face.

"Ran, no, that's not it!" he said. "I'd trust you with my life, but…these things, these people are dangerous! You have to understand…"

"But love…is about trust, right? If you loved me, Shinichi, then why didn't you...?"

"It's not that! If you got hurt, I'd!"

"Shinichi, I am able to take care of myself. I know you know that. I just…if you had told me, things would have been so much easier! You know?" She stood up suddenly, sending the boy stumbling to regain his balance.

"Ran…you're not…" he pleaded.

"There are a couple reasons. I know that…what you've gone through must have been hell, Shinichi. But…no matter what you say to me now, I am going to go through with this."

"N-No!" he cried. "Ran! Please, please! It isn't too late, you can still stay!"

"Why?" she smiled. "The object of my desire is trapped ten years younger than me…no one would understand it, Shinichi! It can't work out, unless you're _you_. I want to be with you too, but…like I said; I also take an opportunity when I see it."

"It's not too late," he moaned. "Please…I want to be with you, just stay with me…I'll find a cure eventually…please, Ran…"

"Let me do this," she pleaded. "If how you say you feel is really the truth…then I know it'll be hard. But…I just can't. Not after what has happened, not after the way things are." He said nothing in reply, his shoulders quivering as he stared at the floor. She knelt and took him by the shoulders. "Look. If you get your body back, at some point, then…come find me. Maybe…we'll see then if we still have feelings for each other."

"…So that's it, then?" he said at length. "There's nothing I can do to stop you. You're just going to walk away, maybe forever? End of story?"

"…I'm sorry," she said, quickly wiping away a tear. "I had to choose, and I made my decision, and I want to stick with it. I'll be happy there, happy to have a chance somewhere. Isn't that enough?"

"Nothing is enough without you!" he suddenly screamed. "I want to…no, need to be near you! It's not enough!"

"You're starting to be selfish," she said. "My feelings don't come into this?"

"It's not that you don't have the right to go where you want…but I can't go with you. You wouldn't be able to support me as well…so the only way is for you to stay! And I'm sorry to say it, but you're acting selfish as well, Ran!"

"And now you are acting like the child you're masquerading as," she replied sardonically. "Look, I have to go. End of story. It is not the end of the world, Shinichi."

"…Says you…"

"It's not over, just like this!" she shouted. "If it's meant to be, I know we will see each other again! I just know it!"

"…I don't like leaving things to chance…" he sighed. Then, they both heard the door open, and seconds later Kogoro entered the room.

"…Is something wrong?" he asked slowly. Ran got up and turned away from Conan.

"No, nothing," she said. "Conan-kun and I were just talking."

Kogoro paused. Clearly something else had been going on; from the way the kid looked and Ran's sudden refusal to even look at him. He shrugged mentally.

"Alright. We're ready to leave for the airport anytime. Your mother will meet us there…so whenever you're ready-"

"Let's go now," Ran said. Conan jerked back, continuing to look away.

"Now? Ran, are you sure you want to go just now?" Kogoro said.

"Yeah. I'm ready as I'll ever be. Besides, it would be better to get there early so there is more time to say goodbye. Right?" she reasoned. Kogoro gave another inward shrug.

"If you say so, then alright, let's go." He turned back to walk out the door, and then paused. "Hey, kid, are you coming or what?" he said, turning back to look at Conan. The boy didn't budge.

"He'd get bored," Ran said quickly, grabbing her coat. "And it might be too hard for him to be there." She walked over and knelt in front of the child, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. "Goodbye…Conan-kun. I will see you sometime…or call, maybe. Take care of yourself, okay?" That said, she joined her father and they exited the door.

Once in the car, Ran instantly pressed her head against the rest and shut her eyes tightly. It really was too much. It had been _her_ who walked out on _him_, in the end.

But…wasn't it the right choice? He had his business to attend to, and she had her future to think about. And it wasn't over by any means. If someone else didn't come along…if they waited for each other, then maybe…

As the car started and they began to pull away, Ran took one final look at her home. And in the window, she saw the despondent man-turned-child staring out with the most horrified expression on his face. And a forgotten pain blossomed in her heart once again. The road opened up before her and her father, and she closed her eyes again and mouthed softly the words set to her emotion.

_-Kasuka ni nokoru yume tsukande mo  
__Nani mo kawaru hazu na katta_

_I don't wanna cry!  
__Hontou ni aishite mo ii?  
__Kokoro kara karada kara ai afureru  
__"Nando de mo futari de ikite ikitai."  
__Anata no koe ga amaku sasayaku…-_

-

He watched her, driven away. Out of his life. Out of his heart.

Maybe it was foolish to begin with to think that he could change her mind.

But it couldn't be. What he said…what he felt…had to be worth something, right?

And he hadn't even said goodbye to her. She only said goodbye to _Conan-kun_.

Always _Conan-kun_. Never him. Never the person who loved her.

"'Love is an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things'," he quoted softly, as if an unseen audience were standing by him.

Something clicked inside him.

What he had shown her, all along, it had been the cold reason he was so familiar with; reasons why she should stay with him. Not love. Not emotion…Was that it, then?

_'I can't convince her with statement alone,' _he thought. _'If I could just…'_

He dropped away from the window, characteristic fire burning in his eyes. He walked through the now-empty house with purpose. It all seemed so clear now. He had to do it, or he'd never forgive himself.

It wasn't over. No, not yet. He had one last thing to do.

* * *

Author's Notes: Wow. Never thought I'd pull _that _one off. But I wrote it, and I think it came out decently. Even though everyone and their mother probably wants to kill me now. I know that some of the reasoning behind these things is weak. Bear with me. 

Thanks to Firestorm2004 for being my beta-reader for this chapter.

The song that Ran sings is _I Don't Wanna Cry_ by Romantic Mode from Gundam X. I never really planned to have a song in this at all, but it came up on my randomized playlist while I was writing this and I started to realize that it kinda fit. The sections I used roughly translate to:

I don't wanna cry!  
May I love you again?  
I'm here, trembling and throbbing  
"I want us to live together any time."  
I want to hear your voice

Although I made the decision, "I will be strong"  
I cannot stop my tears and so

I don't wanna cry  
Can I really love you?  
Love rises from my heart, from my body  
"I want us to live together anytime",  
Your voice whispers softly…

Did it fit the chapter? Did it just suck? Should I never do it again or what? Let me know what you think!

Oh yeah, and Conan's quoting near the end is taken from his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and it appeared in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign of the Four.

Now its time for reviewer response!

**Silver Sky Magician**—I'm glad you really like it, glad you like how I wrote the drama! I was a little worried about it being a little melodramatic but I think I got it about right, and looks like at least someone else feels the same way.  
**Inu-youkai 911**—Thanks! I got started on this a lot sooner than I thought I would…so hopefully it wasn't too long of a wait! And I've seen you like stories where they torture people. Angst and the like. I guess I would say, hope this chapter didn't disappoint either, but you gotta admit, it really does suck to be Shinichi right now, ne?  
**ZimmyChild**—Glad you liked the story, in the way you…ah, put it so enthusiastically. And I do not have a problem as you wonderfully put it…  
**YumeTakato**—I had a line like that in the first draft. But it got cut out as I made more definite plans about what I was going to have happen in this chapter. That's how writing goes I guess. Happy that you liked the chapter…as to the character deviation, it isn't really intentional. I'm trying to capture the change that both Ran and Shinichi would feel at this pivotal moment in their relationship with the other. Naturally some things will change, but I try to keep them relatively in character.  
**Sapphire Stars**—Glad you noticed how Ran and Shinichi are really acting the same way! As for Sonoko, that'll be explained…sooner or later. Thanks for the review!  
**ShinichiEdogawa**—Thanks for your enthusiasm and support!  
**Pauratagashi22**—Thanks for the review! And I am glad you think it's a good original story!  
**Lil**—Well, thanks for taking a quick second to review. Nice to know that yet another person wants me to keep writing!  
**Cowgirl**—Thanks for your review!  
**Crystal Snowflakes**—Wow, I made the reading list of a Shinichi/Ran hater? Don't tell me you just read it because of the ConanXAi label…In all seriousness, though, thanks, nice to know you enjoyed reading it! Even though it isn't really ConanXAi…  
**Kudo**—Ran does have a stubborn streak. And is she really being selfish, or is there something else going on? I know the chapter wasn't perfect, but give me the benefit of the doubt and allow me to keep writing. I've left some things ambiguous on purpose to lead into the ending…if you've noticed, both Conan and Ran act somewhat out-of-character back and forth. If you don't like it though, you don't have to read it.

Thanks for all the reviews and critique!

I changed my mind. I wanted to upload this and File 7 at the same time, but I will not. It is almost finished, but I want to wait and get feedback on this chapter before I post the next one. Ugh. Let me know what you think in a review. File 7 will, in fact, be fairly short.

So, finally…

Next Time! What is left for Conan to do? What can he be feeling now? And how far will he go to see Ran one last time, as he wants it to be? One truth prevails in Star-Crossed Lovers File 7!


	7. File 7: Apothecary

Disclaimer: No matter how many times I say it, it's not going to make me own any more of Detective Conan than I already do…which is nothing anyway. So I don't own Detective Conan.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long delay with this update, minna-san!

(crickets chirp)

…Alright, well, here it is, even though certain problems delayed this longer than I had hoped. Better late than never, ne? I've had some questions about this and whether it is the last chapter; it isn't. There is at least one more…maybe two if I split it apart. So we'll see what happens. Anyway, read, enjoy, and review!

Chapter Summary: Conan confronts Haibara with an odd request. Will the truth about Ai's feelings come out? Will Conan make what could be the biggest mistake in his life?

* * *

Star-Crossed Lovers  
A Detective Conan Fanfiction 

File 7: Apothecary

* * *

She was only slightly aware of the presence behind her before the voice came. 

"Haibara," Conan said.

"Kudo-kun," she replied levelly, turning to face the boy. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to raise your spirit and show up here today. Has Mouri-san left for the airport already?"

"Yeah, she did," Conan replied, any emotion he was feeling masked deep in his voice. "That's somewhat why I'm here. Is Agasa-hakase around?"

"No, he left some time ago to travel to the store and buy some supplies. Do you need to talk to him?" she inquired. He shook his head slowly.

"No, I was just wondering…" He walked around to stand beside her seat, glancing absentmindedly at the computer screen she was working at. There was a stretched silence as Conan watched the girl quickly entering data on the keyboard. He cleared his throat. "Actually, with what went on today, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Ai blinked, glancing up to look at him before saving the work she was doing and closing the program. Mouri-san had left, preparing to leave Japan entirely. Then, Conan showed up, asking to speak with her alone. She didn't want to hope, lest she be hurt, but…Could he actually reciprocate the deep feelings she harbored for him? Could this visit be his admittance, now that she was the other one in his life? Ai wasn't sure. She didn't feel comfortable being Kudo-kun's replacement girlfriend, since Mouri-san had left…

But wasn't that better than nothing? Could she really believe that there was a chance for the two of them now?

"What is it?" she finally asked. Conan steeled his jaw and looked at her.

"I need one of the 24-hour antidotes. Where are they?" he said strongly. Ai blinked.

"You…what?" she said, scrutinizing the boy under her intelligent eyes. "Kudo-kun, why…I mean, what are you going to do? You're not really…" Conan waved a hand to cut her off before pressing it hard to his forehead, slowly rocking back and forth. He stilled his movements and looked at her.

"I…I want to go see Ran before she leaves. Not like, well…" he gestured halfheartedly at his diminutive body and wiped a trickle of sweat from his brow, "but as Shinichi. The real me."

"I see," Ai said coolly after another strained silence. "Well, Kudo-kun, I'm sorry but I don't think the situation warrants you using one of the antidotes and exposing yourself in such a public place. I won't give it to you." Conan drew back as if slapped.

"Haibara…come on! You don't understand; Ran's leaving! I can't stop her anymore, but I need to see her! Please do this for me!"

"I understand perfectly, Kudo," Haibara said in a low hiss. "You plan to risk your life and take one of the antidotes where you will rush out to see Mouri-san, unable to change _anything_ whatsoever. In the meantime, you will undoubtedly be recognized by others, leading to the word being spread about your reappearance. Eventually, _all of our_ _enemies_ will know about this and they will take you. But it won't stop there…they'll take Mouri-san, everyone who you knew just in case you let word get out! And one of those people will be me, their precious…Sherry!" She stuttered on the last word, but regained her composure quickly, glaring at Conan. He shuffled his foot embarrassedly.

"You know, I told Ran. Before she left," he finally said. Ai groaned.

"You did, then? I honestly can't be too surprised, but…What exactly did you say, and why did you have to do something like that, Kudo?"

"I told her the works. What happened to me, the details of the Organization…who you really were," he explained as she drew back. "I thought…if I made her understand, that maybe it wouldn't be too late…maybe she would stay with me. I just-"

"I can't believe this…" she muttered. "I can't believe that after all this time, you chose _now _to tell her this? Listen to me! She's leaving for another country in an hour, a place where you won't be able to protect her! The Organization isn't confined to Japan, you know! Do you realize what kind of mistake you've made?"

"Don't tell me how to live my life, _Shiho_," Conan turned on her, his patience almost gone. "I made my decision. You don't have to worry about her…she understood that it has to be kept a secret. As long as we're safe, she is too, meaning she can't tell anyone anything. So now will you give me an antidote?"

"My answer still stands; absolutely not." Ai sat back down in her seat. "You should return to the Mouri residence and think this through."

"No!" Conan slammed his fist on the computer desk, making Ai flinch. Something uncharacteristic was shining in his eyes. "Ran said goodbye to _Conan-kun_. Not me! I didn't even get a chance to tell her good luck, goodbye; I couldn't even begin to get into how I felt! Ran might be leaving, and I have to accept that now, but _dammit_, I won't let things end like this! I can't! I have to see her as Shinichi…because…this could be the last time we ever see each other…"

Ai shook her head. He was this hopeless? This obsessed with her? It was crazy…She thought she felt things for Conan, but the absolute emotion that was now present in the boy's voice…the _pain _in his face…

Her thoughts were interrupted by Conan stepping away. He ran a hand through his hair before speaking.

"Fine. If you won't give me the antidote, I'll go find it myself," he said smugly. "I already know you have at least one in the house." With that, he left the room at a brisk pace. Ai slowly pushed her chair back, questioning if he was really serious. Her puzzlement was solved by the sudden sounds of searching, Conan searching through the house.

"You can't be serious!" she called tentatively.

"Yep!" his reply came, oddly cheerful.

"Kudo, you can't…just listen to me!" she began shouting. "The odds of your survival from taking another antidote are already low! And considering the stress you're under right now, your heart may not be able to take the strain of transforming!"

"I've beat the odds before," came his reply.

"Why won't you listen to sense!" she tried. "This isn't like you, Kudo! If you would just think about what you're doing-!"

"That's the thing, Ai!" he laughed. "I am! I don't need logic when my heart is telling me what's right! I need to do this, for me, for Ran, for our feelings!"

Ai shook with emotion, finally running into the adjacent room, where Conan held a medicine case victoriously. She shook her head at him as he grinned, holding the pill that was so small, yet so potent.

"You really have lost it…" she muttered. "Say what you will about emotion, but all this truly is, is an over glorified suicide! You're going to throw everything away for no reason!"

"But there is a reason," he countered quickly, pocketing the antidote and hopping from the table. "I can't believe you think I'm just doing this on a whim."

"Kudo…" she hissed. "If you're doing this for Mouri-san, think of what she would do if you died! For something as trivial as this?" She sighed. "If you have told her, then fine. What's done is done. But even still, if you go now, just when she's found you again…"

"That's not it at all," he said, looking at her. "I'm not doing this because I can't be with Ran, and it's not suicide. I'm just…seeing her on my terms. As Conan…I can't talk to her the way I need to. So it's not to suffer, and it's not to punish her for leaving. I'm just going to talk to her…and if I can, then I'll be happy even if she's gone." He began walking towards the door. "Thanks anyway for caring. I almost wouldn't have expected it from you."

He rested his palm on the doorknob and slowly began to open the door, and then Ai grabbed his shoulder roughly and spun him to face her. She took a deep breath, knowing that this could be the last moment she had to make her feelings known.

"Please!" she gasped. "When will you realize…that more people than that girl care about you! Please…_Conan_!" He drew back from her slightly, staring into her eyes. Something was there…something he had never noticed before…

No, that wasn't it. Maybe he had seen it all along, yet…he never wanted to admit it was possible. So he acted like he didn't notice, and things continued on as normal. But now…he understood. It was hard to believe, but he understood.

"I'm sorry, Ai," he said. "Sorry that it has to be this way. Maybe if circumstances had been different, we could…" He shook his head. "Because of the way things are, it wouldn't work." He turned back to the door. "I'm gonna go now. I…wanted to say, thanks for working so hard to try and find a permanent antidote, Ai. See ya!" With that he silently flung open the door and headed on his way. Down to the abandoned house where so many old memories lived.

Ai stared at him from the window. He was going. Really going, he had made his choice and because of it he might never come back…

A single tear slowly dropped to the floor.

—

Alone again, he stared at the small object in his hand. So innocuous, so innocent-looking…

_'Ha, ha,' _he mused. _'Will this be the poison that Romeo takes upon the discovery of his Juliet's demise?' _He closed and opened his fist, glancing up into the mirror. _'That may well be, but…my feelings for Ran aren't fated to lead me that way. I'll make it through this.'_

_'Wait just a while longer, Ran. I'll be there soon.'_

* * *

Author's Notes: Whee. I don't have much to say after this one comment-wise. Just leave a review, please. And I hope that the next part will clear up a lot of things…any comments are appreciated! 

I'm always up for people contacting me about my writing in any form. Contact information is in my profile, as well as my new procedure dealing with updating and reviews.

As always, a big thanks to Firestorm2004 for beta-reading my work, even after I continually pester him on AIM for the longest time.

I didn't forget; it's time for everyone's favorite, reviewer response!

**Crystal Snowflakes**—I burst out laughing when you said Ran was being a total bitch. And I guess I should take it as a compliment that you like my story while commenting that most ShinichiXRan are badly written. Yeah, I tried not to use dub names because of the fact that there were more characters that hadn't been dubbed, like Haibara. Glad you liked it, anyway!  
**Cowgirl**—Hope it wasn't too long between updates! Glad you think it's getting good!  
**SacredAliance**—I'm happy to get a new reader, even if you didn't read it before. Glad you think it's so good! No, this isn't the last chapter; there will be one more and then an epilogue. Maybe I'll tack on some random omakes if they don't ruin the mood of the story. As for a sequel…I have an idea floating around in my head, but I'm not sure if I'm gonna do it. It would work out regardless of the decision I make, but I'd want to see if there was enough interest in a sequel before I committed to writing it.  
**Kudo**—I might have overreacted a little bit as well. I don't think you were rude, and I appreciate your critique. I am aware that I'm writing Ran out of character, and I'm doing it for a reason. You might see a difference in the next update.  
**YumeTakato**—Glad you liked the way I wrote it. And thanks for your continued reviewing and support!  
**Sapphirestars**—Ran isn't being cold as much as she is…well, something else. It'll make sense in my next chapter. If you look at how Ran's justification changes as the story has progressed, you might be able to guess at the real reason she is leaving. Thanks for overlooking the slight character issues to see the story as a whole…  
**LostArtofRock**—Alright! Yes! Ran's out of character! Ha, sorry…everyone notices it, but I am aware that I'm writing her like that a little. It's kind of how I want to do it. As for Shinichi's revelation…think about it. It's a little farfetched, eh? Enough for a suspension of belief, even though she went along with it…but I digress. Glad you want to keep reading, and I hope you stay with this up to the conclusion.  
**Inu-youkai 911**—Thanks for your support, although I don't understand…what is there to be sadistic about? Heh…  
**Random**—Thanks for reading and reviewing! Glad you liked it!  
**Shonzu**—I don't think Conan would go live with you, he wants to be with Ran. But I'm glad you liked it. As for humor…keep checking my profile, I guess…

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Now do it again! Again I say! And, last but not least...

Next Time! Alone at last, Ran realizes she has run out of excuses to make. What is she going to do when the biggest surprise shows up only moments away from her departure? One truth prevails in the dramatic conclusion to Star Crossed Lovers!


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